Ensuring water security for sustainable development

On May 22, in Bac Ninh City, Bac Ninh Provincial Police coordinated with the Institute of Non-Traditional Security (Hanoi National University) and Phoenix International Group Co., Ltd. to organize a scientific workshop "Identifying threats (risks, challenges) to environmental security and water security in Bac Ninh province".

In the context of globalization and socio -economic development, the environment in general is facing increasing pressures and challenges. Negative impacts on the ecological environment not only increase pollution, degradation and depletion of natural resources, but also directly threaten environmental security - an important component of non-traditional security and national security.

Bac Ninh , one of the fast-growing industrial centers in the Northern key economic region, with the goal of economic growth coupled with ensuring social stability and environmental protection for sustainable development, the Party Committee and the government of Bac Ninh province have been strengthening the implementation of solutions and resources for ensuring environmental security and water security. However, in addition to the advantages, opportunities and potentials, there have been a number of risks, challenges and threats to environmental security and water security in the area.

Speaking at the workshop, Associate Professor Dr. Do Canh Thin, Deputy Director of the Institute of Non-Traditional Security, said that Bac Ninh province is a locality that regularly achieves high economic development index thanks to favorable conditions in terms of geographical location, natural resources and people.

To further promote those conditions and move towards sustainable construction and development of Bac Ninh province in the future, one of the key requirements is to proactively prevent and respond to risks and challenges, protect environmental security and water security in the province.

At the workshop, delegates presented papers and exchanged information to clarify the overall picture and current status of environmental security and water security threats in Bac Ninh; bottlenecks and gaps in forecasting, preventing and controlling environmental risks; new trends and potential impacts from industrial development, consumption, climate change and urbanization.

Many opinions proposed solutions and frameworks for preventing and proactively responding effectively to risks, challenges, and threats to environmental security and water security for sustainable development in the coming years, especially for environmental security in craft villages and industrial zones. At the same time, policies and solutions were recommended to improve the effectiveness of environmental management in conjunction with ensuring environmental security and sustainable development.

Colonel Nguyen Huu Hung, Deputy Director of Bac Ninh Provincial Police, informed at the workshop that in recent times, Bac Ninh province has been a bright spot in socio-economic development and attracted a large number of domestic and foreign enterprises to invest in production in the area, including more than 2,400 FDI enterprises.

However, with the characteristics of an area with many industrial parks, clusters and craft villages, there is still a situation where production facilities release untreated waste into the environment, causing water pollution in many sections of the Bac Hung Hai irrigation system, Cau River, Duong River and Ngu Huyen Khe River, affecting agricultural production, aquaculture and domestic water supply. To overcome this situation, Bac Ninh Provincial Police have regularly inspected and examined compliance with environmental laws; at the same time, strictly handled violations of environmental laws.

Proposing solutions to improve water security, Colonel Nguyen Huu Hung said that it is necessary to further strengthen the propaganda, dissemination and education of environmental laws to raise people's awareness. "The whole world is protecting the environment. People's awareness is the most important factor. We need to mobilize relevant agencies to participate," Colonel Nguyen Huu Hung emphasized and suggested that solutions to protect the water environment need to be implemented synchronously in localities due to the inter-regional and inter-local nature of rivers.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Standing Committee Member, Head of the Economic - Financial Committee of the Vietnam Association of Former People's Police, Chairman of the Phoenix International Group, commented that for businesses, especially those operating in the field of providing entertainment - resort services, the environment in general and the water environment in particular play a particularly important role.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung said that in recent times, Phuong Hoang International Group has always paid attention to and strictly implemented environmental laws, especially waste and wastewater treatment; at the same time, applied energy and water saving solutions, thereby contributing to protecting the environment and water resources.

In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Yem, Director of the Institute of Non-Traditional Security, said that the discussion content analyzed, evaluated, and identified the current status of prevention and response to risks, challenges, and threats to water environment security in Bac Ninh province, thereby showing the risks that pollution can impact on economic development and sustainable tourism in the area.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Yem affirmed that the contributions are an important basis for all levels and sectors to develop plans to prevent and respond to threats to environmental security and water security, prioritizing early prevention to avoid incidents before handling them.

Clearly stating that water security is an inter-regional and inter-local issue, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Yem also suggested expanding the scope of research to neighboring localities such as Hoa Binh, Vinh Phuc, or Bac Giang to have a comprehensive, inter-regional view, thereby providing effective solutions to ensure sustainable environmental development.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/doi-song/dam-bao-an-ninh-nguon-nuoc-de-phat-trien-ben-vung-i769133/