On June 20, 2023, the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) in cooperation with the Center for People and Nature (PanNature), the Center for Wildlife Conservation in Vietnam (SWV), the Center for Conservation of Nature and Development ( CCD) and the Center for Upland Resource Governance Research (CEGORN) organized the workshop: “Socializing Resources for Forest Protection, Nature Restoration and Disaster Response. climate change”.

Vietnam faces many pressing environmental issues

associate Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Thao, vice president of VUSTA, said Vietnam has lost a large area of ​​natural forest over the past 30 years to illegal logging and land-use conversion. The reduction of natural forest cover not only reduces the benefits of forests, but also has negative impacts on the stability of ecosystems, the preservation of biodiversity and the loss of the ability to adapt to climate change.

Vietnam also faces a number of pressing environmental problems, such as the occurrence of increasingly extreme weather conditions, a sharp decline in biodiversity resources and high levels of pollution. High alert.

“To meet these millennial challenges, every country and the entire world must mobilize the collective power of society to foster concerted efforts to restore nature, conserve biodiversity and adapt to climate change. Tackle climate change,” said Mr. Thao.

associate Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Thao said that by December 2022, VUSTA will have 93 industry associations nationwide, more than 600 science and technology organizations under VUSTA, and more than 20 journals of science and technology organizations under VUSTA. On January 9, 2020, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha and President of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations Dang Vu Minh signed a program to coordinate the implementation of tasks related to finance. Environmental resources in the period 2020 – 2025.

“These are important documents for VUSTA to gather and maximize the intellectual potential of science and technology personnel from all sectors of the economy, in coordination with the participating state administrations. Take an active part in activities related to environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and responding to climate change,” stressed Herr

dr Le Cong Luong, deputy secretary-general and head of VUSTA’s Science, Technology and Environment Department, said that under the coordinating chairmanship of VUSTA, a number of national and regional projects, programs and tasks have been implemented. was implemented by VUSTA and its member associations and scientific and technical organizations.

Many networks connecting organizations working together in environmental protection, natural resource management and climate change response were sponsored by VUSTA for their establishment and operation.

Some networks work well, such as: Vietnam Network of NGOs and Climate Change (VNGO&CC), Vietnam Rivers Network (VRN), Food Security and Poverty Reduction Network (CIFPEN), Forest Land Network (FORLAND)…

dr However, Le Cong Luong pointed to the shortcomings and difficulties in participating in social gatherings in response to climate change, strengthening resource management and protecting the environment. That is, the legal environment is not clear and not conducive to socialization activities to respond to climate change, strengthen resource management and protect the environment.

The complicated approval, funding confirmation and billing procedures discourage scientists from implementing project topics from both the state budget and funding sources. Non-public organizations have few conditions to participate in tenders for projects to combat climate change, strengthen natural resource management and protect the environment from the state budget.

MOBILE SOCIAL RESOURCES FOR THE FOREST

A representative of Vietnam’s Ministry of Forestry said that for many years the state has been encouraging organizations, households and individuals from all sectors of the economy to invest in afforestation. In recent years, the forest area planted by households has increased the most compared to other forest owners, including state forest owners.

Some organizations and companies have many best practices and creative models, such as the Marie Curie school. The GAIA Center for Nature Conservation has solicited and received donations from businesses and individuals across the country to plant and maintain forests in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

As a result, in 2022 GAIA organized the planting of over 125 hectares of forest, equivalent to 228,000 trees. Agribank organized a tree planting program in some towns with the theme “Agribank for a green future – more trees, more life”. Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company’s One Million Trees for Vietnam program; “Collaboration in Green Chemistry” by Toyota Vietnam Company; “Action for Green Vietnam” by Unilever Vietnam Co., Ltd; “Living Healthy and Contributing Green with Panasonic” by Panasonic Vietnam Co., Ltd., … and many other organizations and individuals are engaged in active and worthwhile activities to protect and develop forests and plant trees in all regions of the country.

DR. Ngo Van Hong – Center for Upland Resource Governance Research (CEGORN) brought lessons learned from the Song Gianh and Thach Han Rivers Restoration Project. The project “Planting and Restoring the River Gianh Watershed Forest” of the Vietnam Forest Reforestation and Restoration Society (VARS) Co., Ltd. is non-profit, mobilizing social resources and planting communities. and restores natural forests with the message “Give 1 tree to make a forest.”

VARS is calling for a donation of VND 50,000 per tree. As of June 15, 2023, there have been 1924 donations totaling over VND14 billion. Through the mobilized budget, VARS supports seedlings, techniques, fertilizers and part of the maintenance costs for the first year and the next two years on the support area.

Mr. Trinh Le Nguyen, director of the Center for Man and Nature (PanNature), said that the diverse social resources formed in today’s society can come from international and domestic funds. Through international initiatives, carbon initiative funds, green initiative funds, or development assistance or ODA resources, domestic forest restoration movements can raise funds from financial resources.

Mr Nguyen said that the socialization resources for afforestation are currently very large, but there are not enough legal opportunities for the units performing the advocacy function to plant and restore forests.

In order to facilitate the attraction of socialization resources for afforestation, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection and response to climate change, Mr. Nguyen Van Phan, director of the Center for Education and Information Environment (under VUSTA), recommends that the state continue to improve the mechanisms. Policies and laws related to the socialization of resources for environmental protection, responding to climate change, afforestation, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring consistency, publicity, and transparency.

According to Mr. Phan, the government should decentralize and decentralize stronger powers for municipalities in governance, dissemination and mobilization of socialization; Clarify the rights, interests and obligations of the organizations, individuals and companies involved in socialization. The state and relevant authorities should promptly issue regulations on the use of socialized resources. Combining understanding, actions and mobilization methods, avoiding that each person understands a pattern that leads to wrongdoing, and exploiting socialization for embezzlement, waste and corruption to break the law. There should be preferential rules, such as exemption and reduction of some taxes and fees, for companies that invest large resources in socialization in these areas.