Building a green Co To special zone.

Located in the northeastern sea region of Vietnam, the Co To Special Economic Zone is gradually asserting its direction of sustainable, modern, and innovative development, with the goal of building a green, modern tourism zone that harmonizes economic development with environmental protection and the preservation of the marine and island ecosystem.

The roads in the Co To Special Economic Zone are being greened with trees, creating a clean, green, and beautiful environment.

With its advantageous natural landscape, pristine marine environment, and diverse ecosystem, the Co To Special Economic Zone firmly adheres to the principle of not sacrificing the environment for economic growth. Tourism development activities are oriented towards in-depth development, prioritizing ecotourism and experiential tourism, while minimizing the impact on natural resources. Environmental management, plastic waste reduction, and wastewater control at accommodation and tourism service establishments are implemented comprehensively, contributing to preserving the island's "green" environment.

Along with ecotourism in the islands, the Co To Special Economic Zone is gradually diversifying its green tourism products through experiential agricultural tourism models, linking education with practical production and environmental protection. A prime example is the experiential activity at the Dong Tien green vegetable garden, organized by Co To High School in collaboration with the Special Economic Zone's Farmers' Association for students. Here, students are guided through the process of planting and caring for vegetables organically, using microbial fertilizers and biological products instead of pesticides; they also directly harvest and showcase local clean agricultural products. These practical experiences help students understand the value of labor, develop environmental awareness, and spread a green lifestyle within the community.

The "My Own Pine Garden" model at Thanh Lan Primary and Secondary School contributes to raising students' awareness of environmental protection right from their school days.

Simultaneously, environmental education linked to ecosystem conservation is systematically implemented from the school level. The "Pine Garden I Care For" model at Thanh Lan Primary and Secondary School is an innovative approach to planting, preserving, and maintaining the Podocarpus tree species, a rare tree closely associated with the unique ecosystem of the Co To special zone. Each class and each student is assigned to care for a specific tree or area, thereby fostering a sense of responsibility, connection with nature, and awareness of preserving local resources through concrete and practical actions.

In particular, to realize the goal of sustainable green tourism development, the Co To Special Economic Zone identifies science and technology as a crucial foundation in environmental management and protection, and in improving the quality of tourism services. Recently, on December 16, 2025, the People's Committee of the Co To Special Economic Zone held a meeting with a delegation from the Institute of Science, Technology and Environment, and the Department of Science and Technology to coordinate the implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. At the meeting, the parties agreed on the direction of cooperation in the coming period. Accordingly, the Co To Special Economic Zone will coordinate the implementation of 9 science and technology projects, with a total estimated budget of approximately 39.5 billion VND, focusing on applying technology to serve socio-economic development, environmental protection, and improve the efficiency of state management. Many projects have high practical applications, directly serving the goals of developing green tourism and preserving marine and island ecosystems.

Students from Co To High School have an experiential learning experience at Dong Tien's green vegetable garden.

One of these is a project applying artificial intelligence in monitoring and managing tourist safety, which will involve building a system of cameras and AI models to monitor, count, and manage the number of visitors arriving and departing from the islands of Co To Lon, Co To Con, Thanh Lan, and Tran, serving tourism management, disaster prevention, and search and rescue.

Based on digitized tourism data and intelligent monitoring, the special economic zone continues to implement projects to assess carrying capacity and protect the environment, such as: applying technology to monitor and manage floating and marine debris; processing household waste and plastic waste according to a circular economy model using modern pyrolysis technology; a research project to develop a system for processing and preserving seafood, extracting bioactive substances from Co To brown seaweed in a green production direction, saving energy, reducing emissions, contributing to enhancing the value of local resources and developing OCOP products; a project to assess the current status and quantify the economic value of underwater habitats in the Co To - Tran Island marine protected area, creating a scientific basis for the management and conservation of biodiversity and the development of ecotourism; The project aims to build a tourism brand based on the principles of "bright - green - clean - beautiful - comprehensive digital transformation"... thereby contributing to ensuring tourism development in harmony with the carrying capacity of the ecosystem, serving as a basis for sustainable planning and management until 2030, with a vision to 2040.

The project to plant staghorn coral in the sea area around Hon Chim island near Thanh Lan island, Co To special economic zone, contributes to restoring the marine ecosystem and developing tourism. (Photo: Provided by the project owner).

According to the development plan for the period 2025-2030, the Co To Special Economic Zone aims to achieve a clean water access rate of over 99% for the population; a solid waste collection and treatment rate of over 99%; strive for 100% collection and treatment of marine debris at beaches and tourist attractions; and a forest cover rate of 55%. From 2026, the locality will essentially eliminate all single-use plastics in tourism and daily life.

According to the leaders of the Co To Special Economic Zone, the zone remains committed to building Co To into a green, sustainable, and modern tourism zone. This is based on environmental protection and preservation of the marine ecosystem; green tourism as the cornerstone; and science, technology, and digital transformation as the driving force for development. Co To's overarching principle is not to sacrifice the environment for economic growth; all planning and investment projects must be linked to sustainable development, harmonizing economic, social, and environmental aspects. In the future, the Co To Special Economic Zone will prioritize the application of science and technology in tourism management, marine environmental protection, waste and wastewater treatment, and visitor safety monitoring; and develop ecotourism, experiential tourism, and green agriculture products linked to community education. Developing a set of standards for evaluating green and sustainable accommodation establishments and applying wastewater treatment technology for tourism service businesses... Along with that, focusing on improving the quality of human resources, building the Co To tourism brand to be green, safe, and friendly, and gradually making the Co To special economic zone a typical destination of Quang Ninh province and the region.

Minh Duc

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/xay-dung-dac-khu-co-to-xanh-3389237.html