Quang Ninh forests turning carbon into asset

Enhancing forest value

Typhoon Yagi in 2024 caused unprecedented damage to Quang Ninh’s forestry sector. More than 130,000 hectares of forest were damaged or destroyed, reducing the province’s forest cover from approximately 55% to 38%.

Yet from these losses, a new direction is emerging for Quang Ninh’s forestry sector: rebuilding high-quality forests, enhancing their carbon sequestration capacity, and laying the groundwork for participation in the carbon credit market. This field is expected to create a new source of financial resources to support forest protection and sustainable forest development efforts.

To date, through a range of decisive measures, the province’s forest cover has recovered to 45.8% and is on track to exceed 50% by 2030. Unlike previous periods, Quang Ninh’s current objective is not merely to replant the areas damaged by the storm.

Under the province’s strategy, forest restoration is being carried out with a focus on improving forest quality, developing large-timber forests, promoting sustainable forest management, and enhancing the forests’ capacity to absorb greenhouse gases.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Bong, Director of the Quang Ninh Forest Protection Department, post-Yagi forest recovery is closely aligned with the province’s long-term sustainable forestry development goals.

“We are not only aiming to restore forest cover, but also to improve forest quality, expand the area certified under sustainable forest management standards, develop large-timber plantations, and increase the carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems,” Mr. Bong said.

To date, nearly 48,000 hectares of production forests in Quang Ninh have obtained sustainable forest management certification. In 2025 alone, 27,500 hectares were certified, accounting for more than half of the province’s total certified forest area.

This is considered a crucial foundation for Quang Ninh’s future participation in the carbon market. According to experts, sustainably managed forests with robust monitoring and control systems are better positioned for assessing biomass and carbon stocks, paving the way for the generation and issuance of carbon credits.

Preparing for the emerging market

In reality, forest carbon credits remain a relatively new field in Viet Nam. According to the Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Environment, MRV activities, the issuance, and trading of forest carbon credits have so far only been piloted in a limited number of localities, while many technical frameworks and sector-specific guidelines are still being developed and refined.

Nevertheless, the foundations for this market are gradually taking shape. On May 21, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 180/2026/ND-CP on forest carbon sequestration and storage services, which will take effect on July 15, 2026. The decree is regarded as a key legal framework enabling localities to implement activities related to forest carbon credits.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Bong, Quang Ninh is proactively preparing the necessary conditions to seize this opportunity. In addition to strengthening forest protection and forest fire prevention and control, the province is accelerating technological transformation in the agriculture and environment sectors, promoting organic and circular development models while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“The carbon market is an inevitable trend. Once the policy framework and technical regulations are fully established, localities with large forest areas, high-quality forests, and sustainable management systems will have significant advantages. Quang Ninh is preparing early so as not to miss this opportunity,” Mr. Bong emphasized.

Beyond its plantation forests, Quang Ninh also possesses extensive natural forest and mangrove ecosystems in Tien Yen, Dam Ha, Hai Ha, Mong Cai, and Quang Yen.

These ecosystems are recognized for their strong carbon absorption and storage capacity, playing a vital role in the province’s strategy for green economic development and climate change adaptation.

Under the province’s targets, more than 50,000 hectares of forest are expected to obtain sustainable forest management certification by 2030. Once this goal is achieved, Quang Ninh will not only enhance the economic value of timber and forest products but also establish a solid foundation for participating in the carbon credit market.

From forests that are gradually recovering in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, a new asset is beginning to take shape. It is not only the trees growing taller each day, but also the carbon absorbed and stored within these forest ecosystems. As Quang Ninh advances its green development journey, these forests could become a vital resource, helping transform low-emission commitments into tangible, sustainable economic value.