UNESCO field assessment of Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba archipelago

On March 11, the delegation had a working session with Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces, with the participation of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh - Vice Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee Hoang Minh Cuong.

Leaders of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces at the working session.

At the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hanh said that since being recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage 30 years ago, Quang Ninh province has always paid special attention and made efforts to preserve and promote the sustainable value of Ha Long Bay . Ha Long Bay with more than 1,500km2 of water surface and 2,500 large and small rocky islands has always been protected in its original state.

Quang Ninh province has implemented many synchronous solutions to preserve and promote the value of Ha Long Bay, ensuring a balance between heritage protection and socio-economic development.

To protect the heritage ecosystem, the province has strictly banned the transportation of cement clinker in the bay; relocated coal mining activities and small-scale industrial activities out of the core and buffer zones of the heritage; completely banned fishing activities in the heritage area; replaced styrofoam buoys at floating structures in the bay with more sustainable floating materials; relocated residents living in the core heritage zone to shore; banned the use of disposable plastic products in Ha Long Bay...

The working group requested the two localities to report additional issues on coordinated heritage management activities.

Quang Ninh is also the first locality in the country to assess the tourism capacity of Ha Long Bay. The results have been used by specialized agencies in issuing policies and mechanisms, developing plans for heritage management and tourism activities...

The working delegation of UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highly appreciated the efforts and effectiveness of the solutions that Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong have implemented in protecting Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago.

The delegation also requested the two localities to report on a number of issues related to heritage management coordination activities between the two localities; how to improve the effectiveness of management coordination; practical application in management based on heritage capacity assessment; regulations on environmental protection as well as planning and construction of projects in the area...

(March 12) Working group conducts field assessment of Ha Long Bay buffer zone .

Today (March 12), the delegation continues to assess the Ha Long Bay buffer zone. On the morning of March 13, the delegation will work with tourism and environmental experts on the Ha Long Bay Sustainable Tourism Development Plan and the management and protection of the environment of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. Next, the delegation will work in Cat Ba Archipelago, assessing the Lan Ha Bay field. The working program will last until March 14.

Previously, in a report presented at a conference in India, UNESCO expressed concern about a number of issues in Ha Long Bay and proposed sending a team of experts to assess the situation.

One of those concerns is related to coastal construction projects in Ha Long City that risk affecting the globally outstanding landscape value of Ha Long Bay.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/unesco-dang-danh-gia-thuc-dia-vinh-ha-long-quan-dao-cat-ba-post1724378.tpo