Ho Chi Minh City: Accelerating green transformation, aiming for a Net-zero target by 2050

In the context of green transformation and the increasingly urgent need to reduce emissions, Ho Chi Minh City has identified this as a strategic direction to enhance competitiveness, attract investment, and fulfill its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.

Delegates shared solutions for developing eco-industrial park models in Ho Chi Minh City.

On the afternoon of December 11th, the Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks Management Board (HEPZA), in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), organized a workshop to promote the eco-industrial park model.

Mr. Bui Minh Tri, Head of HEPZA, stated that the circular economy and sustainable development have become inevitable trends worldwide. Many countries are enacting new trade and investment standards, linking the responsibility of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy transition, and environmental protection to production activities. Vietnam, being heavily affected by climate change, therefore, transforming its development model, especially in the industrial sector, is becoming even more urgent.

According to Mr. Bui Minh Tri, the Vietnamese government recently made several strong commitments at COP26, such as: reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 9% using domestic resources and 27% with international support by 2030; ending deforestation by 2030; eliminating coal-fired power plants by 2040; and achieving net-zero by 2050. Ho Chi Minh City has also concretized these goals through various plans and decisions related to sustainable production and consumption and the development of a circular economy.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park has also been selected to implement the project "Scaling up eco-industrial parks to implement circular economy in Vietnam," funded by UNIDO and the Swiss Federal Department for Economic Affairs (SECO). The project, in the 2024-2028 period, has begun to show initial results, opening up opportunities for Hiep Phuoc to become an eco-industrial park meeting international standards.

Ms. Le Thi Thanh Thao, Head of UNIDO's representative office in Vietnam, stated that green transformation and sustainable development are global trends, with industrial parks playing a key role as they concentrate the majority of production activities. UNIDO has supported seven countries, including Vietnam, in the process of transforming their industrial parks to an eco-friendly model.

Specifically, UNIDO has focused its support on two groups of solutions: policy advice (developing legal regulations, national standards, and technical guidelines) and direct technical assistance to management agencies, infrastructure investors, and businesses in industrial parks. Solutions such as cleaner production, efficient resource and energy use, and industrial symbiosis help improve all three pillars: economic, social, and environmental.

In Vietnam alone, after more than 10 years of partnership, UNIDO is supporting six industrial parks in their green transformation during the new phase of the program. Three industrial parks have approached the criteria for eco-industrial parks, including Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park. This demonstrates the enormous potential for Vietnam's transition to eco-friendly models.

"Currently, when transitioning to an eco-friendly model, businesses clearly benefit from: saving raw materials and energy, reducing waste, lowering operating costs, and simultaneously enhancing their image and competitiveness. This is also a factor that helps attract high-quality investment, green financing, and low-emission technologies. In addition, there are many funds supporting green transition worldwide, and UNIDO is coordinating with financial institutions to facilitate businesses' access to preferential capital. This will be an important leverage to replicate the eco-industrial park model in Vietnam. As for Ho Chi Minh City, the city has a strong vision and commitment to green transition. If successful, Ho Chi Minh City will not only maintain its role as the leading industrial and commercial hub but also become a center for leading green development nationwide," Ms. Thanh Thao added.

According to economic experts, Ho Chi Minh City currently has a stable, smooth, and attractive investment environment based on the continued strong implementation of unique and superior policy mechanisms stemming from Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly; Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on national science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation; Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2025, of the Politburo on international integration in the new situation; and Resolution No. 66-NQ/TW of the Politburo dated April 30, 2025, on reforming the work of lawmaking and enforcement to meet the requirements of national development in the new era. Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW of the Politburo dated May 4, 2025, on the development of the private economy... This is an opportunity for international businesses to boost investment in Ho Chi Minh City in knowledge- and technology-intensive fields such as: smart manufacturing, AI, semiconductors, biotechnology, smart cities, and green and sustainable solutions.

Ho Chi Minh City is aiming to develop green industrial zones.

Mr. Le Van Thinh, Deputy Head of the Hepza Committee, stated that Resolution 98 (amended), recently passed by the National Assembly, has enacted many policies that surpass current legal regulations, even including groundbreaking provisions not yet stipulated in the law. This is an important foundation that helps Ho Chi Minh City overcome long-standing bottlenecks in the implementation of socio-economic development tasks. These new mechanisms not only create favorable conditions for businesses but also open up significant opportunities for the city to promote the development of new models, especially green industrial parks and ecological industrial parks, in line with the trend of green transformation and circular economy.

"The attention and proactive policies issued by the National Assembly, the Government, and the leaders of Ho Chi Minh City demonstrate their determination to support businesses, creating a sufficiently broad legal framework to promote growth and effectively achieve sustainable development goals in the future. In addition, Ho Chi Minh City is also aiming to expand the development space of new industrial parks, building modern infrastructure associated with integrated industrial urban areas with full social amenities. The goal is to create a living and working environment that meets international standards, thereby attracting foreign experts and high-quality domestic labor," Mr. Le Van Thinh added.

According to Hepza, the merger of the three localities into a megacity creates a socio-economic entity of superior scale, with strengths in finance, trade, and infrastructure. The goal for industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh City in the coming period is to achieve an average investment productivity of 8 to 10 million USD/hectare, with the area of ​​land eligible for lease ranging from 6,500 to 6,800 hectares. The city will focus on attracting large-scale projects with high added value and strong spillover effects.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh/tp-ho-chi-minh-day-manh-chuyen-doi-xanh-huong-toi-muc-tieu-netzero-vao-nam-2050-20251211172502760.htm