A steadfast journey toward a green future

Through its formation and development, Viet Nam’s environmental sector has continuously grown, accompanying the nation’s overall progress. From its early, challenging beginnings, the sector has gradually affirmed its pioneering role in protecting natural resources, preserving ecological balance, and contributing significantly to the country’s sustainable development goals.

Amid global challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss, Viet Nam is increasingly demonstrating its responsibility, determination, and capacity in environmental governance - striving toward a green, harmonious, and prosperous future.

The mark of a steadfast journey

From its earliest days, state management of the environment has received special attention from the Party and the Government. Environmental laws, mechanisms, and policies have gradually been developed and refined, creating a unified legal framework nationwide.

The Viet Nam Environment Agency has proactively implemented numerous strategies, programs, and action plans to concretize sustainable development goals. Over time, its organizational structure, staff, and management methods have been continuously strengthened to meet new demands in an era of integration and innovation.

In this context, the Viet Nam Environment Agency, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, plays a central role in managing, monitoring, and implementing environmental protection policies in agriculture, rural areas, and natural resources. From strategic advisory work and drafting legal documents to guiding, inspecting, and supervising implementation at the grassroots level, the Agency has become a vital bridge between central policy and practical action.

Along this journey, many major programs and projects have been implemented in a coordinated manner, leaving a clear mark. Efforts in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management have been prioritized. Protected areas, national parks, and biosphere reserves have been planned, expanded, and strictly managed, contributing to the preservation of rare plant and animal species, maintaining ecological balance, and enhancing landscape value.

A notable achievement has been the control of environmental pollution in agriculture, rural areas, and industrial zones and clusters. Numerous models for treating solid waste, wastewater, and air emissions in agricultural production have been applied and scaled up. Pollution treatment projects at concentrated livestock farms, slaughterhouses, and agro-forestry-fishery processing facilities have delivered significant results, helping improve environmental quality, reduce water, soil, and air pollution, and gradually establish circular, eco-friendly agricultural models that link production, consumption, and resource regeneration.

The environmental sector has also taken the lead in integrating environmental protection goals with the new rural development program. Environmental criteria have been translated into clear, measurable indicators, promoting nationwide movements such as “Everyone Participates in Environmental Protection,” “Say No to Plastic Waste,” and “Recycle and Reuse Waste,” which have spread widely across society. Many localities have developed bright, green, clean, and beautiful rural models, with communities and social organizations playing an active role in preserving a healthy living environment.

Community awareness-raising and environmental education have been carried out regularly and creatively. Campaigns such as World Environment Day, Vietnam Sea and Island Week, Clean Sea Campaigns, tree planting, and protection forest programs have become highlights, attracting the participation of millions of people.

As a result, public, business, and social organization awareness and responsibility for environmental protection have steadily increased, helping foster green lifestyles, sustainable consumption, and nature-friendly behaviors.

In recent years, science, technology, and digital transformation have become strategic directions for the sector. Automated monitoring systems for air quality, water, and waste have been invested in and connected, enabling accurate and timely environmental supervision and alerts. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) tools and digitalized databases on natural resources and the environment have been put into operation, contributing to greater transparency and more effective state management.

The adoption of new technologies in waste, wastewater, and emission treatment, together with green agricultural production models, has helped reduce costs and emissions, contributing to Viet Nam’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

At the same time, Viet Nam has actively participated in international conventions and agreements on the environment, climate change, and biodiversity, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, the Ramsar Convention, and CITES. These commitments demonstrate Viet Nam’s strong sense of global responsibility while creating opportunities to access financial resources, technology, and modern management expertise, thereby enhancing national environmental governance capacity.

With its continuous efforts and achievements, the Viet Nam Environment Agency has been honored with the Second-Class Labor Order, the Government’s Emulation Flag, and multiple Certificates of Merit from the Ministers of Natural Resources and Environment and Agriculture and Environment. In addition, many collectives and individuals under the former General Department and the Agency have also received prestigious awards, including one Second-Class Labor Order, two Third-Class Labor Orders, and several Certificates of Merit from the Government and the Prime Minister.

New challenges - New mindsets

Despite significant achievements, environmental protection still faces numerous challenges: pollution in some rural areas, craft villages, and concentrated livestock zones; increasingly severe climate change and natural disasters; and mounting pressure from urbanization and economic growth.

On the global stage, the World Bank projects that global economic growth between 2022 and 2030 will average only 2.2% per year - the lowest in three decades. Globalization is slowing due to strategic competition, regional conflicts, and pandemics, while green development has emerged as an inevitable trend.

Domestically, Viet Nam’s position and strength have been increasingly reinforced through a network of 30 strategic and comprehensive partnerships. This serves as a solid foundation for attracting investment and transforming the growth model toward a green economy, digitalization, and sustainable development. However, rapid industrialization and urbanization have also intensified environmental pressures, while the risks of transboundary pollution and the import of outdated technologies are growing.

Health care costs related to pollution have risen from 0.3% of GDP in 2015 to 1.2% in 2020 - a stark warning that if economic growth continues without sufficient attention to the environment, the resulting damage could far exceed the value created.

In response to these new demands, the environmental sector recognizes the need to renew its management mindset, improve institutions, strengthen law enforcement capacity, and promote social participation, encouraging businesses, communities, and citizens to jointly protect and restore the ecological environment.

In the new phase of development, the Viet Nam Environment Agency has set out several key priorities:

To complete the system of guiding documents for implementing the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection, push forward administrative reform, delegate more authority to local levels, and adopt an international-standard approach to developing technical regulations and standards, with quality of life and public health placed at the center.

To improve policies supporting the transition toward a green, circular, and low-carbon economy in line with sustainable development goals; enhance implementation capacity; focus resources on addressing persistent environmental issues; and diversify investment sources, particularly for waste treatment and environmental restoration.

To strengthen environmental monitoring and data connectivity between central and local authorities; control major pollution sources, industrial zones, and craft villages; require centralized wastewater treatment systems; and relocate facilities causing serious pollution.

In particular, the Agency is implementing Directive No. 02/CT-TTg dated January 24, 2025, issued by the Prime Minister, on controlling water pollution in the Bac Hung Hai irrigation system. It is also mobilizing social resources to invest in domestic wastewater treatment infrastructure, while effectively carrying out the National Air Quality Management Plan for 2021-2025, with a vision toward 2026-2030.

The sector is also promoting a green transition in public transport, phasing out outdated vehicles, studying low-emission zones, controlling construction-related emissions, developing low-emission agriculture and renewable energy, and engaging communities in environmental protection efforts.

In comprehensive waste management, particularly domestic solid waste, plastics, and hazardous waste, the focus is on reducing landfill disposal to below 30% by 2025, ensuring that 95% of urban solid waste is treated, with 40% processed through incineration, power generation, or recycling technologies.

Strict implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanism is being carried out, alongside the development of a modern recycling industry and strengthened control over plastic, industrial, electronic, construction, agricultural, and food waste.

At the same time, the application of science, technology, and digital transformation is being emphasized to effectively implement the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024, on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, with a key focus on developing and attracting high-quality human resources in the environmental sector.

The Agency is also developing a digital platform for environmental data monitoring, applying Best Available Techniques (BAT) and advanced technologies across sectors, and utilizing information technology, remote sensing, and Industry 4.0 solutions for environmental monitoring, observation, and early warning.

At the same time, the sector continues to strengthen international cooperation, environmental communication, and the mobilization of resources and advanced technologies. It is also stepping up public awareness campaigns and the dissemination of environmental laws, launching large-scale communication initiatives to inspire regular, widespread movements, particularly in waste separation at source, reducing single-use plastics, and promoting a green lifestyle.

The results achieved so far form a solid foundation for the environmental sector to move forward with a spirit of unity, innovation, creativity, and dedication - all in pursuit of a sustainable Viet Nam.

With the leadership and guidance of the Party and the Government, and the collective effort of the entire society, Viet Nam’s environmental sector will continue to assert its pioneering role in safeguarding the right to live in a clean and healthy environment for present and future generations.