(MPI) – In order to promote the implementation of circular economy in enterprises in industrial parks (IPs), reduce the environmental impact of industrial production and help IPs adapt to climate change, on November 15, 2024, the Ministry of Planning and Investment , the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) signed the Project Document “Replicating the Eco-Industrial Park Approach to Promote Circular Economy in Vietnam”. Immediately after the Signing Ceremony, the Steering Committee of this project held its first meeting. Authorized by the leaders of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Mr. Le Thanh Quan, Director of the Department of Economic Zones Management chaired the meeting.
Attending the meeting were Mr. Andrew Meier, Deputy Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office; Ms. Le Thi Thanh Thao, Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vietnam and members of the Steering Committee representing the Ministries of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Technology, Industry and Trade, Finance, Agriculture and Rural Development and Construction; representatives of the management boards of industrial parks in Hai Phong city, Ho Chi Minh city, Dong Nai, Long An and Bac Ninh.
 |
| Mr. Le Thanh Quan speaking. Photo: MPI |
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Mr. Le Thanh Quan said that the eco-industrial park is a new model and is considered one of the solutions to implement the circular economy stipulated in the law on environmental protection, and at the same time, it is integrated into the Strategy for implementing sustainable production and consumption until 2030, the National Green Growth Strategy for the period 2021-2030, vision 2050, the Circular Economy Development Project in Vietnam, the Project on tasks and solutions to implement the results of the COP26 Conference.
During the 2015-2019 and 2020-2024 periods, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, together with UNIDO, piloted the conversion of a number of conventional industrial parks into eco-industrial park models. The results from 2020 to May 2024 in replicating the eco-industrial park model in 4 localities, namely Hai Phong, Dong Nai, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, achieved encouraging results: supporting 90 enterprises with 889 resource efficiency and cleaner production (RECP) solutions in 4 industrial parks: Hiep Phuoc (Ho Chi Minh City), Amata (Dong Nai), Dinh Vu (Hai Phong) and Hoa Khanh (Da Nang), of which 429 solutions have been implemented.
RECP solutions have helped businesses reduce electricity consumption by 14,378 MWh/year, fossil fuel consumption by 264,127 GJ/year, water consumption by 278,690 m3/year, greenhouse gas emissions by 55,663 tons of CO2 equivalent/year and brought economic benefits to businesses; proposed to implement 62 industrial symbiosis opportunities, industrial-urban symbiosis for 3 industrial parks (Hiep Phuoc, Amata, Dinh Vu) with 18 highly feasible cases, contributing to optimizing waste reuse, concretizing the implementation of circular economy...
To contribute to further supporting the transformation of industrial parks, SECO has continued to sponsor the implementation of the project "Replicating the eco-industrial park approach to promote circular economy in Vietnam" to promote the circular economy approach in enterprises, minimize the impact of industrial production activities on climate change, help industrial parks (IPs) adapt to climate change through continuing to deploy eco-industrial parks (IPs) with measures to increase resource efficiency, minimize waste, promote recycling, improve economic, environmental and social outcomes of enterprises, thereby contributing to sustainable and inclusive industrial development in the circular economy.
The Project Document “Replicating the Eco-Industrial Park Approach to Promote Circular Economy in Vietnam” was officially approved by the Minister of Planning and Investment in Decision No. 1737/QD-BKHĐT dated August 13, 2024. Next, the Minister of Planning and Investment also signed Decision No. 2517/QD-BKHĐT dated October 30, 2024 on the establishment of the Steering Committee for this project.
 |
| Overview of the meeting. Photo: MPI |
At the meeting, delegates focused on discussing the Master Plan and the 2025 Operation Plan of the Project; delegates from industrial parks and export processing zones exchanged, shared and affirmed their determination to implement eco-industrial parks to contribute to sustainable and inclusive industrial development in a circular economy; at the same time, contributing to the implementation of Vietnam's goals at the COP26 Conference.
Opinions also emphasized the importance of KNCST; stating that, to achieve the set goals, it is necessary to continue to strengthen connectivity, adjust the legal and policy framework to develop industrial parks and ecological industrial park models associated with green growth, sustainable development, and circular economy; promote investment attraction in the form of public-private partnership to ensure compliance with domestic and global standards.
To successfully replicate the approach of eco-industrial parks to promote circular economy in Vietnam, it is necessary to develop a specific roadmap and implementation plan; continue to improve mechanisms and policies, creating favorable conditions for this transformation process; propose solutions to bring practical values; develop criteria to identify and register for certification of eco-industrial parks and eco-enterprises.
Currently, eco-industrial parks are becoming the selection criteria of foreign direct investors (FDI) with the goal of sustainable development, economic benefits along with responsibility to the community and society. Many localities and industrial park infrastructure investors identify the development of industrial parks according to the eco-industrial park model as an inevitable and urgent need to create sustainable competitive advantages. Eco-industrial parks will contribute significantly to efforts to respond to climate change, mobilize resources from the private sector for green industrial solutions, ensure energy security, and demonstrate the Government's political determination in implementing sustainable development commitments./.
![[Photo] General Secretary To Lam works with the Central Policy and Strategy Committee](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/7b31a656d8a148d4b7e7ca66463a6894)
![[Photo] Vietnamese and Hungarian leaders attend the opening of the exhibition by photographer Bozoky Dezso](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/b478be84f13042aebc74e077c4756e4b)
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives a bipartisan delegation of US House of Representatives](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/468e61546b664d3f98dc75f6a3c2c880)
![[Photo] 12th grade students say goodbye at the closing ceremony, preparing to embark on a new journey](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/42ac3d300d214e7b8db4a03feeed3f6a)
Comment (0)