Water resources: Foundation for sustainable development

Water is often likened to an essential factor for all economic and social development activities and environmental protection. Within the functional structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the water resources sector plays a pivotal role, serving as the basis for regulating, distributing, protecting, and restoring water sources, supporting daily life and production, and ensuring energy security, food security, and climate change adaptation.

Establishment of a unified institutional framework for water resources

Prior to 1998, Vietnam lacked specialized legislation on water resources, and management was fragmented across various sectors such as irrigation, hydropower, and water supply. The adoption of the 1998 Law on Water Resources by the National Assembly marked a major turning point, establishing for the first time a legal basis for integrated water resource management in Vietnam, moving toward a modern approach consistent with international best practices.

During this period, water resource management was entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD, before the merger), primarily focusing on the operation, investment, and protection of irrigation works. Following the process of administrative reform, the function of unified water resource management was centralized under a single agency in 2002, when the Government issued Decree No. 91/2002/ND-CP to establish the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment).

The formation of the Department of Water Resources Management laid a crucial foundation for professionalizing management work, enabling the Ministry to develop policies and plans and to enforce legislation proactively. Subsequent documents continued to refine the Department's functions and duties, expanding its scope toward modern management centered on the efficient use of water and the protection of water sources.

Notably, moving into 2025, with the merger into the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Department of Water Resources Management officially became the focal agency assisting the Minister in unified state management of water resources nationwide. From this point onward, the regulation, distribution, restoration, exploitation, and protection of water sources are implemented in a synchronous, uniform manner, aiming for sustainable development.

The 2023 Law on Water Resources: A major institutional leap

Another significant milestone in Vietnam's institutional refinement of water management is the promulgation of the 2023 Law on Water Resources, replacing the 2012 Law. This is not merely a technical adjustment but a comprehensive development reflecting a new strategic vision for water governance amid climate change, urbanization, and increasing socio-economic development demands.

Image: The 15th National Assembly passing the 2023 Law on Water Resources marks an important milestone in the institutionalization of water resource management in Vietnam. Photo: Department of Water Resources Management.

The 2023 Law on Water Resources established the principle of integrated water resource management by river basin, combined with management by administrative area. This comprehensively remedies the fragmentation and overlap in water exploitation and use. This approach ensures regional linkages, balances the interests between localities and economic sectors, and aims for sustainable exploitation and efficient use of every unit of water.

Crucially, the Law explicitly affirms the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment as the focal agency assisting the Government in unified state management of water resources, a vital consolidation step to enhance management effectiveness and efficiency. The consistent viewpoint is that "water is a national asset, a common resource that requires centralized, economical, and effective management," treating the protection and restoration of water sources as a strategic task linked to national environmental, food, and energy security.

Furthermore, the Law supplements many breakthrough mechanisms, such as regulations on charging fees for the right to exploit water, sanctions for protecting and restoring water sources, and policies encouraging water reuse and circularity in production. These provisions not only create a transparent and feasible legal corridor but also orient water resource management toward market mechanisms, fairness, and sustainability, promoting the participation of businesses and communities in protecting and developing water sources to significantly contribute to green growth and sustainable development.

Digital technology for water management, monitoring, and restoration

In recent years, water monitoring and regulation have made remarkable progress thanks to the application of digital technology. Hundreds of surface and groundwater exploitation projects are monitored online, enabling management agencies to promptly grasp exploitation flow rates, water quality, and the risk of degradation or pollution.

National and river basin water resource planning is implemented in synchrony, linked to socio-economic development, land, and energy planning, creating a basis for the reasonable allocation of water resources across sectors and localities. As a result, disputes and conflicts over water use between regions have been significantly reduced.

Concurrently, programs for restoring degraded and polluted water sources, particularly in major river basins such as the Red River, Dong Nai River, and Mekong River, are being vigorously implemented with positive results. Projects to find fresh water for scarcity areas, remote islands, and regions affected by drought and saltwater intrusion are also being carried out, securing water for the daily life and production of millions of citizens.

The work of licensing and collecting fees for the right to exploit water resources is carried out transparently and legally, generating tens of trillions of USD for the state budget each year. This resource not only supports reinvestment in water resource management and protection but also contributes to economic growth and sustainable development.

Moreover, prioritizing integrated water resource management has enhanced water-use efficiency across agriculture, industry, and urban areas, contributing to green growth, reducing carbon emissions, and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

From fragmented management to unified governance, and from exploitation to sustainable development, Vietnam’s water resources sector has undergone a robust transformation, affirming its commitment to ensuring water security, the foundation for national sustainable growth and prosperity.