Quang Ninh aims to have all industrial parks and economic zones meet green standards by 2030.

Developing green industrial parks (IPs) according to ESG (environmental - social - governance) standards is becoming an inevitable trend in Vietnam. This model brings comprehensive benefits to the environment, businesses and workers. Vietnam is moving towards a digital economy , green economy and circular economy. Building modern, green and sustainable IPs is not only an urgent requirement in the new development context, but also opens up a golden opportunity for Vietnam to attract investment and enhance national competitiveness.

Green industrial parks are industrial parks with environmentally friendly infrastructure, using sustainable construction materials; energy-saving design, integrating renewable energy; modern wastewater and waste treatment systems; safe and convenient working environment for workers. According to experts, green industrial parks according to ESG standards are not only "green" in terms of infrastructure, energy, trees and water, but also "green" in the way of thinking, management and the way businesses treat the environment - people - law.

Song Khoai Industrial Park (Quang Yen coastal economic zone) has been investing in synchronous and modern technical infrastructure, becoming increasingly attractive to secondary investors who are looking for investment opportunities in Quang Ninh province. Photo: AMATA

Quang Ninh is one of the few localities in the country at this time that has all three models of industrial parks, coastal economic zones and border gate economic zones. Although it has a diverse industrial system with 8 industrial parks, 2 coastal economic zones and 3 border gate economic zones, there is currently no industrial park or economic zone in the province that meets ecological standards. This is a gap that needs to be overcome in the process of becoming a green industrial center of the Northeast region.

Some infrastructure investors such as Bac Tien Phong and AMATA have also oriented towards building ecological industrial parks. Some industrial parks such as Dong Mai and Texhong Hai Ha are operating automatic wastewater treatment systems, ensuring emissions meet standards. In particular, Shinec Company (Dam Ha B) has deployed a real-time emission monitoring system, aiming at comprehensive management of the production life cycle.

Quang Ninh aims to have all industrial parks and economic zones in the province meet green industrial park and green economic zone standards by 2030, applying a circular model in water use and solid waste treatment. This will be a great advantage in attracting high-quality FDI and meeting the increasingly stringent requirements of investors.

In recent years, investment capital into Quang Ninh province from large corporations, producing high-tech products in the global supply chain, has brought high export revenue and job opportunities for many local workers and neighboring areas.

Typical projects include: A chain of projects for manufacturing and assembling components and electrical and electronic products of Foxconn Group, TCL Group, Jinko Group, Autoliv Group, Texhong Group in Dong Mai Industrial Park, Song Khoai Industrial Park, Bac Tien Phong Industrial Park, Texhong - Hai Ha Industrial Park; Thanh Cong Group 's automobile manufacturing complex in Viet Hung Industrial Park... Initially forming high-tech textile and garment industry chains; mechanical engineering industry chains, assembling electrical and electronic equipment; industrial complexes for manufacturing, assembling automobiles and manufacturing automobile components in the province's industrial parks.

Modern service office complex at Bac Tien Phong Industrial Park. Photo: Huy Dung

Quang Ninh Economic Zone Management Board has also actively implemented Action Program No. 572/CTr-UBND dated March 17, 2023 of the Provincial People's Committee, implementing Resolution No. 10-NQ/TW on strengthening the Party's leadership in resource management, environmental protection and climate change response in the period 2022-2030. On that basis, the Board has coordinated with relevant departments and branches to comprehensively review and evaluate the wastewater, exhaust gas and solid waste treatment systems in industrial parks and economic zones. At the same time, it has developed an investment plan and upgraded environmental infrastructure to meet the criteria of a green industrial park in a sustainable and environmentally friendly direction.

Resource management is closely integrated with environmental protection. The province also focuses on reviewing and adjusting land use targets of industrial zones until 2025, registering needs until 2030, with a vision to 2050, as a basis for establishing zoning plans, general plans and technical infrastructure projects to serve the goal of long-term environmental protection.

Faced with the reality that some newly established industrial parks have not yet invested in centralized wastewater treatment plants, leading to temporary treatment with small-scale technology; the capacity of some stations is still low compared to the increasingly expanding production scale; investment resources for automatic environmental monitoring systems are still limited... the province continues to mobilize and require businesses to strictly comply with environmental protection regulations.

Accordingly, some enterprises have also focused on upgrading environmental protection infrastructure. Typically, Texhong Hai Ha Industrial Park (Hai Ha district) has completed environmental infrastructure with a treatment plant with a capacity of 15,000 m³/day and night, synchronized with a continuous automatic monitoring system; Bach Dang Industrial Park (in Dam Nha Mac area, Quang Yen town) is expanding the treatment plant from 8,000 to 12,000 m³/day and night, to meet the needs of production growth and ensure discharge standards... The Economic Zone Management Board has also proposed solutions to increase capacity, expand treatment modules, apply remote monitoring technology and develop a periodic maintenance and operation plan to ensure efficiency and sustainability.

Currently, Quang Ninh still maintains a good rate of 100% of operating industrial parks with centralized wastewater treatment systems that meet environmental standards. 8 industrial parks have completed the construction of centralized wastewater treatment plants with a total of 13 modules, with a treatment capacity of 65,400 m³/day and night, contributing to protecting water sources and minimizing environmental pollution around the industrial parks.

Mr. Nghiem Xuan Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, emphasized: "Circular economy is not a destination, but a path to a green future". The province will prioritize supporting technology start-up projects in the fields of recycling, resource management and environmental protection.

Recently, the Provincial People's Committee has allowed the Quang Ninh Business Association to research and produce construction materials such as crushed sand, foundation materials... from solid waste, ash and slag, and mine waste rock and soil. This is a potential direction, both cost-saving and contributing to the formation of an environmentally friendly construction materials industry.

With the active participation of departments, branches, localities and the business community, environmental protection work in industrial parks and economic zones in the province is increasingly going into depth.

Quang Ninh is gradually asserting its position as a pioneer in developing a circular economy in Vietnam. From reusing resources, developing eco-industrial parks to spreading green actions in the community, each step shows a sustainable development mindset, linking economic growth with environmental protection.

Exporting goods at Mong Cai Border Gate Economic Zone. Photo: Thanh Tan

Thereby, it will help Quang Ninh achieve the goal that by 2030, all industrial parks and economic zones in the province will meet the criteria of "green industrial parks, green economic zones", apply the circular economic model, reuse wastewater after treatment, collect and recycle solid waste, towards sustainable development and adaptation to climate change.

In addition to the existing 8 industrial parks, 2 coastal economic zones and 3 border gate economic zones, Quang Ninh is continuing to direct long-term strategic planning work. A series of planning tasks are being implemented such as: General planning of Quang Yen coastal economic zone to 2050; planning of Bac Phong Sinh border gate economic zone to 2045; reviewing and adjusting the general planning of Hoanh Mo - Dong Van economic zone and implementing 22 zoning planning projects in Mong Cai border gate economic zone (of which 19 projects have been completed and the remaining project is being implemented).

Source: https://baodautu.vn/quang-ninh-dat-muc-tieu-den-nam-2030-toan-bo-khu-cong-nghiep-khu-kinh-te-dat-tieu-chuan-xanh-d357020.html