Strictly control environmental requirements for investment projects

Secretary General of the National Assembly and Head of the National Assembly Office Le Quang Manh stated that it is necessary to strictly control environmental requirements for investment projects; improve the quality of appraisal and assessment of production technology to effectively control and prevent the import of old, outdated technology that risks causing environmental pollution into our country.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan chaired the meeting. Photo: Quang Khanh

On the morning of October 28, under the direction of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan, the National Assembly discussed in the Hall the Report on the results of monitoring "the implementation of policies and laws on environmental protection since the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 took effect".

38/435 facilities remain causing serious environmental pollution that has not been thoroughly treated

Secretary General of the National Assembly, Head of the National Assembly Office Le Quang Manh presented a report on the results of monitoring "the implementation of policies and laws on environmental protection since the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 took effect".

Accordingly, the Supervisory Delegation organized 2 Meetings; 3 Supervisory Working Groups in 9 provinces and cities (after the merger); worked with the Government, 8 Ministries, the Government Inspectorate and 4 corporations and general companies (with the participation of relevant ministries, branches and agencies); organized 4 consultation workshops with experts, agencies, organizations, associations and enterprises.

Secretary General of the National Assembly, Head of the National Assembly Office Le Quang Manh presented the Report on the results of monitoring "Implementation of policies and laws on environmental protection since the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 took effect". Photo: Pham Thang

The monitoring delegation found that the promulgation and implementation of policies and laws on environmental protection since the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 took effect has achieved many positive and important results, contributing to the successful implementation of goals and targets for sustainable socio-economic development, ensuring national defense, security, foreign affairs, social security and international integration.

Specifically, the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, branches and localities have issued more than 500 documents guiding and implementing the Law on Environmental Protection, of which the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries and branches have issued more than 30 documents...

Environmental protection work has seen many changes, achieving and surpassing many important goals and targets set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; Vietnam's sustainable development index has increased, ranking first in ASEAN.

Three out of five targets have exceeded the plan set for 2025, including: the rate of collection and treatment of urban solid waste meeting standards and regulations; the rate of industrial parks and export processing zones in operation with centralized wastewater treatment systems meeting environmental standards; and forest cover rate.

However, the Monitoring Delegation found that the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 still has some limitations and shortcomings.

Delegates attending the meeting. Photo: Ho Long

That is, environmental pollution still occurs, is still complicated, sometimes at a serious level, especially air pollution (due to fine dust) in big cities; air quality index sometimes exceeds the safe threshold, negatively affecting people's health, sometimes Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are among the most polluted cities in the world.

Environmental quality of some river sections concentrated in densely populated areas, production, business, service establishments, craft villages in the Cau River basin, Nhue - Day River, and Bac Hung Hai irrigation system has been slow to improve. The target on the rate of establishments causing serious environmental pollution that are handled has not been completed.

According to the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, by 2025, 100% of facilities causing serious environmental pollution must be handled, but by September 2025, the whole country still has 38/435 facilities causing serious environmental pollution that has not been thoroughly treated.

Proposal to amend and supplement the Law on Environmental Protection in 2020

Based on the causes of limitations and shortcomings, the Monitoring Results Report clearly stated the tasks and breakthrough solutions, which are: Innovating thinking and perfecting institutions and policies on environmental protection and organizing drastic, effective and efficient implementation. Strengthening and diversifying resources for environmental protection. Developing science, technology, innovation and digital transformation in the field of environmental protection and responding to climate change.

Regarding urgent tasks and solutions to be completed by the end of 2026, the Secretary General of the National Assembly and Head of the National Assembly Office clearly stated, summarized, evaluated the implementation and proposed amendments and supplements to the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, and submitted it to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the beginning of the term of the 16th National Assembly.

View of the meeting. Photo: Quang Khanh

In the immediate future, consider amending a number of articles of this Law at the Tenth Session to contribute to unlocking resources, promoting socio-economic development, implementing the 2-level local government model; at the same time, amend regulations on roadmap and application time for policies related to domestic solid waste management to suit practical requirements. Review, amend and supplement relevant legal provisions such as taxes, environmental protection fees, state budget, investment, etc.

Organize review, assessment, update and adjustment (if necessary) of strategies, plans and schemes related to environmental protection and climate change response to meet the requirements of "expanding and creating new development space", double-digit economic growth on the basis of ensuring the consistent principle of not trading the environment for purely economic development, respecting natural laws...

The tasks and medium and long-term solutions until 2030 stated in the Monitoring Results Report are: Preventing, controlling and stopping early and remotely the risks of pollution and environmental incidents; and forecasting early the impacts of climate change.

Delegates attending the meeting. Photo: Pham Thang

In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to and strictly control environmental requirements for investment projects; improve the quality of appraisal and assessment of production technology to effectively control and prevent the import of old, outdated technology that poses a risk of environmental pollution into Vietnam; closely monitor and prevent facilities that pose a high risk of pollution and environmental incidents; atomic energy facilities and nuclear facilities.

At the same time, focus on and improve environmental quality; Enhance the effectiveness of solid waste and hazardous waste management; Improve institutions and policies to respond to climate change; Improve the effectiveness of propaganda, dissemination and education of laws on environmental protection and climate change response; Strengthen the capacity of the environmental protection management apparatus.

The monitoring delegation recommended that the National Assembly issue a Resolution on monitoring this topic with specific tasks and solutions as mentioned above; monitor the Government to focus on implementing the National Assembly's Resolution, focusing on reviewing, amending and supplementing laws in 2025 - 2026 and the period up to 2030.

The National Assembly Standing Committee, National Assembly agencies, and National Assembly delegations continue to strengthen supervision of the implementation of policies and laws on environmental protection; and supervise legal documents in the environmental field.

Based on the monitoring results, the Government directs the amendment, supplementation, completion and implementation of legal documents, mechanisms and policies in the environmental field, overcoming limitations and shortcomings; fully and synchronously implementing tasks and solutions; focusing on promptly removing and resolving difficulties and problems, and handling "hot spots" of environmental pollution.

The Government and the Prime Minister, within their scope, tasks and powers, shall direct the implementation and report to the National Assembly on the results of the implementation of the National Assembly's Resolution on the subject of supervision at the same session as the annual report on environmental protection work; promulgate a program and plan for the implementation of the Resolution, clearly identifying the presiding agency, coordinating agencies, roadmap, progress of completing each task and ensuring funding for implementation; in the immediate future, focus on leading and directing the implementation of breakthrough tasks and solutions and urgent tasks and solutions, to be completed by the end of 2026.

Next, the National Assembly watched a video clip on the results of implementing policies and laws on environmental protection since the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 came into effect.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/kiem-soat-chat-che-yeu-cau-ve-moi-truong-doi-voi-cac-du-an-dau-tu-10393254.html