Reporter: Could you please tell us about the important and outstanding achievements of the Natural Resources and Environment Sector in 2023?
Minister Dang Quoc Khanh:
It can be said that we have just gone through 2023 with many challenges, the international and domestic context continues to evolve rapidly, complexly, and unpredictably; opportunities, advantages, difficulties, and challenges are intertwined. In particular, many challenges are posed to the Natural Resources and Environment Sector, namely: Climate change continues to have a clear impact; water shortages, droughts, and natural disasters are becoming more serious, negatively impacting socio -economic development and the implementation of sustainable development goals; meeting resources to effectively exploit resources to serve the process of socio-economic recovery and development still faces many difficulties; the organization, implementation, and enforcement of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 has revealed a number of problems...
Thoroughly implementing the Government 's guiding theme "Solidarity, discipline - Courage, flexibility - Innovation, creativity - Timeliness, efficiency", the Natural Resources and Environment sector has promoted the spirit of innovation, creativity, and proactiveness in implementing its tasks, thereby achieving a number of outstanding results:
Firstly, regarding the improvement of institutions and policies: The Ministry has presided over and mobilized the participation of the entire Industry and agencies in the political system to organize a review and assessment of 10 years of implementing Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW dated June 3, 2013 on proactively responding to climate change, strengthening resource management and environmental protection; advising competent authorities to consider issuing new viewpoints, policies, orientations and breakthrough solutions for the Industry's development in the coming period.
Focus on institutional building with draft laws on resource management: Land Law (amended), Water Resources Law (amended) and Geology and Minerals Law. At the 6th Session, the 15th National Assembly passed the Law on Water Resources (amended) with many new points, a major step forward in the effective and sustainable management of water resources to ensure water security. The draft Law on Geology and Minerals is continuing to be completed to ensure submission to the Government and the National Assembly in 2024.
The 15th National Assembly passed the Land Law (amended) at the 5th Extraordinary Session with the majority of delegates voting in favor. This is an important event marking innovations in land policies and laws in response to the spirit of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated June 16, 2022 of the 13th Party Central Committee "on continuing to innovate and perfect institutions and policies, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of land management and use, creating momentum to turn our country into a high-income developed country."
Most notably, the 15th National Assembly passed the Land Law (amended) at the 5th Extraordinary Session with the majority of delegates voting in favor. This is an important event marking innovations in land policies and laws in response to the spirit of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated June 16, 2022 of the 13th Party Central Committee "on continuing to innovate and perfect institutions and policies, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of land management and use, creating momentum to turn our country into a high-income developed country". The Law Project has been prepared responsibly, carefully and elaborately by the National Assembly, the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Government and relevant agencies and organizations through many rounds and steps, and has been submitted to the National Assembly at 4 sessions, demonstrating the carefulness of the agencies in legislative activities, ensuring quality and effectively exploiting land resources.
Second, focus on developing and completing national-level plans according to the provisions of the Law on Planning, including: National environmental protection plan for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050; National hydrometeorological station network plan for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050; National biodiversity conservation plan for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050; Master plan for sustainable exploitation and use of coastal resources for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2045; Master plan for national environmental monitoring for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050.
One of the highlights of the past year was the Ministry's advice on organizing a Vietnamese delegation led by the Prime Minister to attend the COP28 Conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Here, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced the Resource Mobilization Plan, marking an important milestone towards the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) mechanism, agreed between Vietnam and the International Partnership Group (IPG) and many conferences. In addition, foreign affairs activities and international cooperation on natural resources and environment have been continuously promoted.
Third, actively and responsibly participate in cooperation mechanisms, taking advantage of opportunities from development trends. A notable event last year was the Ministry's consultation on organizing a Vietnamese delegation led by the Prime Minister to attend the COP28 Conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Here, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced the Resource Mobilization Plan, marking an important milestone towards the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) mechanism, agreed between Vietnam and the International Partnership Group (IPG) and many conferences. In addition, foreign affairs activities and international cooperation on natural resources and environment have been continuously promoted. The Ministry has chaired, advised the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers and directly participated in many important international conferences and forums, notably the 4th Mekong River Commission Summit, the Climate Ambition Summit, the United Nations Water Conference, the 8th Session of the Vietnam - Netherlands Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management, and the Climate Finance Summit; the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment was the Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to attend the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit and, on behalf of the Vietnamese Government, accepted the hosting of the P4G Summit in 2025; the Ministry has also actively and proactively participated in important international events such as the 17th ASEAN Environment Ministers' Meeting, the 34th ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting on the Environment, and the Intergovernmental Conference on Negotiating the Development of a Global Agreement on Plastic Pollution; Intergovernmental Meeting of the East Asia Acid Deposition Monitoring Network (Eanet).
Fourthly, the whole sector has been proactive and flexible in implementing tasks and solutions to strictly and effectively manage natural resources. Advising the Government, the Prime Minister issued many important policies to remove bottlenecks, promote potentials, advantages, and natural resources for the country's economic and social development.
Specifically: the whole sector has advised and handled 172 projects and works that have not put land into use or have been slow to put land into use, with an area of 6,922 hectares; guided and coordinated with localities to effectively implement land recovery and site clearance for the construction of key national projects: the North-South Expressway in the East, Long Thanh International Airport, etc.; basically handled and met the supply of materials for the construction of key projects and works in the Northern and Central Highlands regions, prioritizing the arrangement of sand for filling to serve expressway projects in the Mekong Delta; conducted a survey of sea sand resources, initially identifying areas with feasible exploitation conditions to propose moving to the exploration and exploitation phase for leveling and construction. Coordinated with ministries, branches and localities to direct the effective regulation of water resources for agricultural cultivation and electricity production in the context of complicated drought.
Fifth, the effectiveness of implementing policies and laws on environmental protection continues to improve. Strengthening inspection, guidance, and raising the responsibility of authorities at all levels, businesses, investors, and people's awareness of environmental issues (localities have issued relatively complete documents implementing the Law on Environmental Protection 2020; the rate of industrial parks with centralized wastewater treatment systems has reached over 92%; basically completing the thorough treatment of facilities causing serious environmental pollution; the rate of domestic waste collected and treated in urban areas has reached 95%...).
In addition, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has coordinated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and domestic and foreign partners to organize the "Vietnam Circular Economy Forum 2023" to determine the roadmap, promote public-private cooperation, and mobilize bilateral and multilateral resources from international organizations and the business community. This is an important basis for the Ministry to complete and submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and promulgation of the National Action Plan for implementing the circular economy by 2030.
Sixth, digital transformation and database construction in the Natural Resources and Environment sector have received investment attention, contributing to improving the efficiency of state management, providing public services, and resolving administrative procedures for people and businesses (the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment ranked 3rd out of 17 ministries and ministerial-level agencies in terms of digital transformation level (with public services); all 63/63 provinces and cities have been urgently implementing database construction, nationwide there are databases of 450/705 districts. The land database of 63/63 provinces and cities has been connected to the national population database with 461/705 districts, 6,198/10,599 wards/communes, a total of more than 26 million land plots); Successfully and promptly processed millions of transactions, exploited, looked up, and authenticated electronic information on land and population data at level 4 in the Land Database System and the National Population Database on the National Public Service Portal and the Provincial Administrative Procedure Information System.
Seventh, proactively forecast early, with sufficient detail and high reliability in warning and forecasting hydrometeorology, modernize the hydrometeorological monitoring network, enhance the application of science and technology, and international cooperation; provide timely forecast and warning information to respond to storm No. 1; forecast and warn of heat and drought caused by El Nino; issue timely and effective forecasts and warnings of heavy rain, floods, inundation, flash floods, and landslides, contributing to minimizing damage caused by natural disasters...
Reporter: At the 5th Extraordinary Session, the 15th National Assembly passed the Land Law (amended). Could you please share about the process of building the Law and its new points?
Minister Dang Quoc Khanh:
The Land Law is a major law project, of special significance and importance in the political, socio-economic, national defense, security and environmental protection life of the country; plays a central role in the land law system, has a profound impact on all classes of people, the business community and has a close relationship with many other related laws. The National Assembly passed the Land Law (amended) as a legal basis for practical implementation, contributing to promoting land resources, using land resources economically, effectively and sustainably in the new period, aiming at the goal of maximizing land resources, contributing to meeting the requirements of socio-economic development, deep international integration, gradually realizing the goals of the country's industrialization and modernization revolution; promptly meeting the expectations and aspirations of the people.
The drafting agency has organized many workshops and conferences; coordinated with agencies such as the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations; the Ethnic Council, the Economic Committee and a number of other Committees of the National Assembly; the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry, the Vietnam Farmers' Union, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, the Central Vietnam Women's Union... to organize workshops and conferences to collect opinions on the Draft Land Law; and to receive people's opinions on the Draft Law.
The Land Law (amended) has many new and important breakthrough contents contributing to the goal of perfecting institutions and policies, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of land management and use such as: land use planning and planning; recovery, compensation, support, resettlement; land allocation, land lease, permission to change land use purposes; land finance, land prices; land registration, issuance of Certificates of transfer of land use rights, ownership of assets attached to land; land policies for ethnic minorities; building information systems and databases on land; promoting decentralization, delegation of power, reforming administrative procedures in the land sector, enhancing the responsibility of local authorities at all levels in land management and use...
We believe that when the Land Law (amended) comes into effect, land resources will be managed, exploited and used to ensure the highest savings, sustainability and efficiency; meeting the requirements of promoting industrialization, modernization, fairness and social stability, ensuring national defense and security; protecting the environment, adapting to climate change; the real estate market, including the land use rights market, will become a channel for reasonable, fair and effective land allocation, creating momentum for our country to become a developed country with high income by 2045.
Reporter: Vietnam's success in raising its position and role at the COP28 Conference has been highly appreciated by the international community. Could you please tell us about Vietnam's "movements" in its commitment to bring net emissions to "0"?
Minister Dang Quoc Khanh:
At the COP28 Conference, Vietnam and a group of international partners announced the Resource Mobilization Plan to implement JETP. This is the result of selecting priority areas that can become pillars of the energy transition process later. Immediately after the end of COP28, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the first Summit on "Asian Zero Emission Community (AZEC)" with the participation of senior leaders of ASEAN countries, Japan and Australia (December 18, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan). Here, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conveyed a strong message on the theme "Shared will, high determination and drastic action towards a developed Asia with net zero emissions".
At international forums, Vietnam proposed that the areas for promoting cooperation in the coming time should focus on research and development, diversifying clean energy sources, new technologies, promoting technology transfer to ensure clean energy sources are widely accessible, meeting affordability in the Asia region; ensuring clean energy transition in accordance with each country's conditions. At the same time, it is necessary to further promote new climate finance mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and cooperation in the private sector to facilitate developing countries' access to preferential capital; strengthen cooperation in training high-quality human resources and smart governance.
The above moves are a continuation and inheritance of the achievements from our active and proactive implementation of commitments from the COP26 Conference in 2021 up to now, from policies to actions in the spirit of "saying is doing" that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspired and spread at the recent COP28 Conference.
Vietnam has made its mark by comprehensively implementing the commitments of COP26, specifically: Approving important decisions and policies such as the Project of tasks and solutions to implement the results of the COP26 Conference, the National Strategy on Climate Change to 2050; Action Plan to reduce methane emissions to 2030; National Strategy on Green Growth for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050; National Plan to implement the Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use to 2030; Action Program on green energy transition, reducing carbon and methane emissions of the transport sector; National Master Plan for Energy Development; developing 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice; developing and implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC); Continue to build institutions and perfect the legal framework towards promoting the development of renewable energy according to market mechanisms, developing biomass power and selling carbon credits...
Realizing the Government's commitment at COP26 and COP28, localities nationwide, businesses and authorities at all levels are also actively directing investment towards green transformation. Many provinces and cities are calling for investment in developing renewable energy projects, especially wind power and solar power. Corporations and businesses have actively implemented green transformation projects, gradually reducing fossil energy sources, building plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, developing new energy sources such as hydrogen, towards the goal of carbon neutrality.
Currently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is working with ministries and sectors to focus on developing guidelines for greenhouse gas inventories; measures to reduce methane emissions; building a green banking development model; investing in and improving pollution treatment, recycling and waste treatment technologies; implementing carbon capture and storage solutions, investing in CO2 capture systems, promoting green transformation and demonstrating the responsibility of an active member in responding to global climate change.
Reporter: In 2024, the theme and motto of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is "Solidarity - Discipline, Proactiveness - Flexibility, Timeliness - Efficiency, Development - Breakthrough". Could you please tell us what important tasks the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will focus on to achieve the set goals?
Minister Dang Quoc Khanh:
The year 2024 is identified by the Government in Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP as a breakthrough year, of special significance in successfully implementing the Resolutions of the 13th National Party Congress, the Resolution of the National Assembly on the 5-year socio-economic development plan 2021 - 2025, creating momentum for the following years to successfully implement the goals of the 5-year plan 2021 - 2025. In the context of the world situation being forecasted to continue to develop rapidly, complicatedly and unpredictably; domestically, the socio-economy has opportunities, advantages and difficulties, challenges intertwined, but difficulties and challenges are still the main ones.
Currently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is working with ministries and sectors to focus on developing guidelines for greenhouse gas inventories; measures to reduce methane emissions; building a green banking development model; investing in and improving pollution treatment, recycling and waste treatment technologies; implementing carbon capture and storage solutions, investing in CO2 capture systems, promoting green transformation and demonstrating the responsibility of an active member in responding to global climate change.
In the above context and situation, in 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will closely follow the Conclusions and Resolutions of the Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government and the "5 determinations"; "6 viewpoints and directions for direction and management" stated by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Conference on deploying the tasks of the Government and localities to implement the specific goals and tasks of the Ministry in 2024 with the theme: "Discipline, responsibility, proactiveness, timeliness, acceleration of innovation, sustainable efficiency". In particular, I would like to emphasize some key tasks, specifically:
Firstly , continue to focus on the work of building and perfecting institutions, policies and laws. Fully implement the Resolutions, Conclusions and Directives of the Central Committee, especially the implementation of the Conclusion of the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW dated June 3, 2013 on proactively responding to climate change, strengthening resource management and environmental protection; Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on "Continuing to innovate and perfect institutions and policies, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of land management and use, creating momentum to turn our country into a high-income developed country"; Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy.
Organize the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, the Law on Land (amended) and the Law on Water Resources (amended), submit to the National Assembly for consideration the Law on Geology and Minerals. At the same time, promptly develop, submit and issue under authority guiding documents to ensure consistency, uniformity and timely entry into force at the same time as the above Law projects. Continue to complete the draft Decrees submitted to the Government to remove obstacles and difficulties in the fields of land, environment, sea and islands.
Focus on completing, submitting to the Prime Minister for promulgation and implementation of national plans, sectoral plans, and plans for natural resources and environment to ensure consistency, unity and effectiveness in the state management of the Sector. Complete the National Marine Spatial Plan and submit it to competent authorities for approval.
Second , focus on reforming administrative procedures, improving the investment and business environment; promoting digital transformation, developing digital resources. Simplify at least 10% of administrative procedures and costs of compliance with procedures in the field of natural resources and environment as required by the Government in Resolution No. 02/NQ-CP. Completely complete the Prime Minister's request to reduce and simplify regulations related to business activities under the Ministry's state management functions.
With high determination, strive to accelerate the progress of building a national land information system, a land database according to unified standards nationwide linked with the national population database, ensuring the completion of the tasks assigned by the Central Executive Committee and the National Assembly in Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 39/2021/QH15.
Third , synchronously deploy tasks to manage, exploit and effectively use natural resources to serve economic and social development. Continue to focus on planning to ensure land funds for development; remove obstacles in investment projects as indicated in inspection and examination conclusions to free up State resources and social resources for development. Deploy geological hazard investigations in areas at risk of landslides and earthquakes; engineering geology in urban areas for underground construction development and potential and reserves of minerals such as metals and rare earths to serve the semiconductor industry, applied in the assembly of environmentally friendly equipment and vehicles to take the lead in the world's energy transition trend.
Fourth , strictly and fully implement the provisions of the law on environmental protection, creating a fundamental change in the awareness and actions of people, businesses, and managers in environmental protection. Propose to develop a national target program on pollution remediation and environmental quality improvement; focus on handling environmental pollution issues in the Bac Hung Hai irrigation system and river basins; environmental issues of power projects.
Fifth , continue to promote and more strongly implement participation in international and regional initiatives on resources and environment, enhance environmental and climate diplomacy to attract resources, knowledge and experience to serve the development and improvement of policies and laws on resources and environment, contributing to the sustainable development of the country. Resolutely and urgently implement the Action Program to implement commitments at COP28 and Implement the Resource Mobilization Plan to implement the Political Declaration on a Just Energy Transition (JETP).
Sixth , improve the work of forecasting and warning of hydrometeorology; effectively use investment resources to modernize remote sensing, surveying, mapping, and geographic information infrastructure, provide timely, complete, and accurate information to other sectors and fields, serve socio-economic development, prevent, combat, and respond promptly and effectively to natural disasters and extreme weather phenomena.
Promote the application of remote sensing technology in monitoring and supervising natural resources and the environment to serve the needs of ministries, sectors and localities in the construction and implementation of planning and socio-economic development (especially monitoring and supervising certain types of land use, monitoring changes in water resources, cross-border air pollution, and changes in national border areas).
Seventh, strengthen inspection and examination work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management, prevent corruption, waste, negativity, and group interests. Implement the Inspection and Examination Plan in an effective manner, avoid duplication, and focus on complex and sensitive areas such as land, environment, minerals, etc. In particular, according to the proposal of localities at the Industry's Summary Conference, the Ministry will strengthen inspection of the implementation of policies and laws to detect inappropriate issues, thereby helping localities promptly correct and limit violations.
To effectively carry out the above tasks, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will direct the implementation of the following main solutions:
First of all, the Party Committee of the Ministry and its subordinate Party Committees need to focus on improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of the Party organization and Party members, building a contingent of cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers with sufficient qualities, capacity and prestige equal to the task. This is a task that the Prime Minister especially emphasized in his speech directing the Industry at the Conference summarizing the work in 2023.
Implement proactive, flexible, timely, effective direction and management, closely coordinate, synchronize and rhythmically coordinate policies. Closely follow the practical situation, respond to policies promptly and appropriately, especially to urgent issues arising in the short term, while effectively implementing fundamental tasks and solutions in the medium and long term. Leaders of the Ministry and heads of units under the Ministry strengthen work with localities and grassroots to promptly and fully grasp the results of policy and law implementation in the assigned management areas.
Tighten discipline, improve effectiveness, efficiency and responsibility of leaders in organizing the implementation of tasks of the unit; strengthen decentralization and delegation of authority associated with appropriate resource allocation, improve implementation capacity and strengthen inspection, supervision and control of power. Rectify and thoroughly overcome the avoidance and shirking of responsibility in performing public duties; at the same time, protect cadres who dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common good.
Strictly implement regulations on assignment and decentralization, ensure clear responsibilities and follow the principle that the Ministry does not directly perform tasks under its authority or that can be delegated to localities; enhance the role of the Ministry and its affiliated units in policy orientation, strategy development, and strengthen inspection, examination, and supervision of local policy and law enforcement.
In 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will closely follow the Conclusions and Resolutions of the Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government and the "5 determinations"; "6 viewpoints and directions for direction and management" stated by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Conference on deploying tasks of the Government and localities, to implement the specific goals and tasks of the Ministry in 2024 with the theme: "Discipline, responsibility, proactiveness, timely, accelerating innovation, sustainable efficiency".
Continue to review, arrange and improve the organizational structure in line with the goal of building a professional and modern administration and public service. In the assignment and coordination between units, the principle of "clear people, clear work" must be ensured, avoiding omission of tasks. Focus on training and fostering the capacity and skills of cadres, civil servants and public employees in accordance with their job positions. Increase investment and improve the capacity of the Ministry's university training institutions, not only researching and teaching on pure theory but also closely linked to practice, in which, it is necessary to focus on training in the fields of environmental protection, management, effective use of resources and response to climate change.
Perfecting the tool to evaluate the performance of cadres, civil servants and public employees. Especially evaluating the effectiveness of leadership and direction of Heads of units under the Ministry, emphasizing the criteria of: regularly advising the Ministry's leaders on strategic, long-term and fundamental issues; the level of understanding and closeness to the local and grassroots situation; the quality and effectiveness of resolving and handling recommendations from ministries, branches, localities and people, businesses...
Reporter: Thank you very much, Minister!
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