The Global Eco-Industrial Park Programme (GEIPP) conference took place from 7 to 9 November 2023 at the Vienna International Center (VIC). This event is titled “Final Event - GEIPP I and Beyond”. The primary objective of the conference was to disseminate updates

pertaining to the remarkable accomplishments of the eco-industrial parks while fostering a conducive environment for knowledge exchange among participating GEIPP countries.

 The conference brought together stakeholders, policymakers, park management authorities, IP developers and tenants from across the GEIPP countries including Columbia, Egypt, South Africa, Peru, Ukraine, Indonesia and Viet Nam and to mark the closing of the first phase of GEIPP Programme.

Mr. Christian Susan, the GEIPP Programme Manager delivered the welcome speech and moderated the policy session

On behalf of GEIPP Viet Nam project, Mr Le Thanh Quan, Director General of Economic Zones Management, Ministry of Planning and Investment of Viet Nam, Project Director gave a presentation on Viet Nam’s Journey towards EIPs from the policy perspective to highlight how to streamline sustainable planning of Industrial Parks in Viet Nam by developing the EIP model. He introduced the progress in EIP policy development during GEIPP I which is one of the most important directions to green and sustainable Industrial parks in Viet Nam, reflected in the newly issued Decree No. 35/2022/ND-CP regulating the management of industrial zones and economic zones, sustainable production and consumption strategy until 2030, National Strategy and Action Plan on Green Growth for the period 2021-2030, with vision to 2050, promote the transformation of EIP towards circular economy and encourage the implementation of industrial symbiosis. 

In his presentation, Mr Quan asked GEIPP to continue (i) supporting Vietnamese government in EIP transition for the existing IPs; (ii) upscaling EIP models through CE implementation, (iii) establishing new EIPs (greenfield) based on national regulations in accordance with international standards, (iv) finalize the development of an online database and MRV system for tenants and industrial parks.

In the technical assistance and capacity building session, two representatives from two targeted IPs, Ms Nguyen Thi Tuyet Lan, Environment Manager from Deep C IP and Mr Nguyen Anh Tuan, Environment Manager from Amata IP presented the specific technical interventions and initiatives of glass powder for roads, firefighting station and water reuse in their parks with insightful facilitation from Mr. Alessandro Flammini, Project Coordinator. 

The site visit was conducted to Siemens Green City, where discussions centered on the development of Industry 4.0 and the catalyzation of more efficient manufacturing processes through big data. It offered participants a firsthand look at Siemens Industry 4.0 implementation and its potential application in the development of eco-industrial parks.

The GEIPP conference served as a pivotal platform for extensive knowledge sharing and collaborative endeavors among participating countries in the realm of eco-industrial park development. The event effectively highlighted the notable progress made by each country in implementing the program, as well as the challenges encountered along the way. The integral role of UNIDOs technical assistance emerged as a critical component in realizing the economic, social, and environmental objectives of the program./.