Completing the Project on developing biological industry in the environmental sector by 2030

In Decision No. 553/QD-TTg dated April 21, 2017 on approving the master plan for biotechnology development to 2030, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to develop the content, roadmap, and tasks for developing biotechnology in the environmental sector to 2030, and submit them to the Prime Minister for approval. At the same time, continue to review and implement the tasks approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1660/QD-TTg dated November 7, 2012 on the "Project on development and application of biotechnology in the field of environmental protection to 2020". If necessary, submit to the Prime Minister for adjustment of the objectives and tasks of the above Decision.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan gave a speech at the meeting.

Carrying out the tasks assigned by the Ministry, the Department of Environmental Pollution Control has drafted a Project on developing the environmental biological industry until 2030 and sought opinions from localities, ministries, sectors and relevant agencies.

At the meeting, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thien Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Environmental Pollution Control, presented the draft Project. The Project will focus on promoting the application of environmental biotechnology in monitoring and assessing environmental quality; producing preparations and biological materials to treat waste that pollutes the environment; producing biological products and treating waste in the field of environmental protection, recycling and producing environmentally friendly products and materials. Thereby, creating biological products and producing on an industrial scale to serve human interests, contributing to socio -economic development and environmental protection.

brother-4(1).jpg — Ms. Nguyen Thi Thien Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Environmental Pollution Control, presented the draft Project on developing biological industry in the environmental sector by 2030.

Discussing and giving comments at the meeting, representatives of relevant units under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and experts all emphasized the necessity of the Project in the development phase towards sustainability, associated with green economic development, circular economy, and ecosystem restoration. According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Thang, Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, in the context of many changes as present, the project needs to have an approach towards supplementing the goals of green transformation, sustainable development and focusing more on highly applicable biotechnology products such as biofuels towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, bioplastics, and environmentally friendly biomaterials.

The project drafting committee needs to evaluate the results of the implementation of Decision 1160 and point out the limitations and causes; as a basis for setting out the correct and accurate tasks and solutions; and supplementing the tasks of the relevant ministries and branches participating in the implementation of the project. The setting of goals for 2030 needs to be more specific.

Mr. Phan Viet Phong, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology (Central Propaganda Department) commented on the draft Project.

Mr. Phan Viet Phong, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology (Central Propaganda Department) said that Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development and application of biotechnology for the country's sustainable development in the new situation has set a target that by 2030, the biotechnology industry will become an important economic and technical sector. This means putting biotechnology applications into large-scale production and becoming an industry that contributes significantly to the country's GDP. Even though it is only one product of Vietnam, but dominating the entire market is more in line with industrial development. The project should set a target with an index on how much % of the market Vietnam will dominate or the number of environmental protection products originating from the biotechnology industry. At the same time, it should set a roadmap for building policies to attract and support businesses in this industry to develop.

The drafting agency should also study other documents to strengthen the connection between the environmental biotechnology industry and other sectors and fields. From there, timely solutions can be identified and contributed to the country's overall development goals by 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Mr. Luong Duy Hanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) commented on the draft Project.

Mr. Luong Duy Hanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) emphasized that the project development also needs to closely follow Resolution No. 36 of the Politburo and the programs being implemented by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Many contents on biotechnology have also been included in the Law on Environmental Protection. Some issues that need to be clarified can be incorporated immediately into the amendment and supplement to Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP dated January 10, 2022 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Environmental Protection that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is finalizing.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan said that the development of the Project must ensure the implementation of Decision No. 553/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister in the new perspective from Resolution No. 36-MQ/TW of the Politburo. The Deputy Minister requested the Department of Pollution Control to clarify in the field of environmental protection, which technology needs biological treatment, the amount of biological products used annually, even specifically which types of products are imported, which types Vietnam can produce, which types are effective, the cost of waste treatment by biotechnology... so that when proposing a biotechnology plan, it must go hand in hand with cost and quality. The Project must clarify the necessity of developing the biological industry in environmental protection, the goal of contributing to GDP, the development roadmap and the number of specific indicators.

The Deputy Minister directed the Pollution Control Department to absorb the opinions at the meeting and continue to complete the draft Project, submit it to the Ministry's leaders for approval and submit it to the Government next November.

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