International organizations support MAE in delivering 30x30 commitment

2025-2027: A golden opportunity to pilot and strengthen OECM framework

On September 29, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Vietnam, in collaboration with the National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection (NIAPP), organized a technical workshop: Opportunities to promote the application of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Vietnam. This event is considered an important step for Vietnam to seize the chance to accelerate the piloting and recognition of OECMs.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Jake Brunner, Country Representative of IUCN Vietnam, emphasized: "OECMs are not a new initiative, as the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) specialist group developed the technical guidelines on OECMs back in 2019, followed by the release of the Vietnamese version in 2024. In Vietnam, international organizations such as IUCN, GIZ, WWF, and UNDP have been working together to conduct research, provide technical support, and assess the status and potential of OECMs."

From IUCN’s technical perspective, Vietnam does not need to issue new regulations on OECMs. Instead, adjustments can be made within the existing legal framework, focusing on the assessment, recognition, and encouragement of well-managed models already in place in forestry, fisheries, and agricultural production.

Currently, only about 7% of Vietnam’s land area and 2% of its marine area are designated as legally protected areas. To achieve the global 30x30 target, Mr. Brunner suggested that the country could consider expanding effective conservation coverage to 10% of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems through OECMs. This, he stressed, presents a significant opportunity for Vietnam to increase conservation areas without disrupting planning processes, while contributing to the country’s commitments under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by 2030.

At the workshop, Mr. Bui Hai Nam emphasized that OECMs serve as a bridge between conservation and development, and as a foundation for ecological agriculture. In the Mekong Delta, shrimp-rice and shrimp-mangrove models, and in the Central Highlands, agroforestry models, are all potential OECMs that generate both economic benefits for farmers and value for nature conservation.

OECMs will recognize integrated production - conservation models, supporting the transformation of food systems toward sustainability, safe production, and environmental friendliness.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Hiep, Biodiversity Coordinator at IUCN Vietnam: "If the primary goal of national parks and protected areas is biodiversity conservation, OECMs can operate under multiple objectives, purposes, and governance types while still contributing to overall conservation targets." This opens up greater flexibility and acknowledges the participation of communities, businesses, religious groups, social organizations, and local authorities in conservation efforts.

According to WWF-Vietnam’s recommendation, the central government should submit timely reports and ensure that pilot implementation begins no later than 2027. Otherwise, it will be difficult to achieve the 30x30 target, despite Vietnam already having many models that meet OECM criteria.

Communities and localities are ready

In practice, many areas such as natural forests, wetlands, and production forests allocated to communities, as well as co-managed fisheries zones, are not officially designated as protected areas yet still maintain high biodiversity value. Recognizing these areas as OECMs would encourage local communities and governance actors to continue sustainable practices, integrate conservation into production, and strengthen livelihood development.

International organizations such as IUCN, GIZ, and WWF have recommended that MAE - the focal agency for implementing commitments under the GBF review the roadmap for identifying OECMs in Vietnam. This includes drawing on international experiences in institutionalizing and mapping OECM stakeholders nationwide, and integrating OECMs into the revised Biodiversity Law. To promote uptake, it is necessary to develop a pilot OECM program, conduct assessments, and establish a national recognition process, with validation expected in 2026 and verification in 2027.

OECM governance models are highly diverse, ranging from state agencies, individuals, organizations or private enterprises, local communities, and Indigenous peoples, to shared governance involving multiple stakeholders with rights and interests. "OECMs do not require the establishment of new protected areas; rather, they involve identifying, recognizing, and supporting existing areas, and therefore do not create additional management burdens," a representative of WWF-Vietnam explained.

According to the definition of IUCN and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), OECMs are geographically defined areas that, while not part of the formal protected area system, are governed and managed to achieve positive and sustainable in-situ biodiversity conservation outcomes. OECMs contribute directly to the global target of conserving and effectively managing at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, marine, and coastal areas by 2030 under the GBF framework.

"OECMs can become a ‘brand’ that elevates the profile of Vietnam’s agriculture and environment sectors in international markets, creating opportunities to develop high-value products while still ensuring nature conservation goals,” Mr. Jake Brunner affirmed.