At the Vietnam Economic Forum 2025 – Outlook 2026, during the thematic session on the circular economy titled “Promoting green transition, developing a circular economy, and realizing the goals of high growth and sustainable development” held on the morning of 16 December at the Government Headquarters, Ms. Nguyen Tram Anh, National Programme Manager of the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP) Viet Nam under the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), participated in the session and shared international experience in developing eco-industrial parks. She also highlighted the contribution of the project “Scaling up Eco-Industrial Park Approaches to Promote Circular Economy in Viet Nam” (GEIPP Viet Nam), funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), in supporting policy development and the transition toward eco-industrial parks in Viet Nam, thereby advancing green growth and circular economy models.

Co-hosted by the Government, the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission, and the Central Committee for Strategy and Policy, the Forum brought together more than 500 in-person participants and over 1,000 online delegates at 34 online connection points nationwide. Discussions focused on two key themes: mobilizing financial resources for growth during 2026–2030, and accelerating the green transition and circular economy development in line with high and sustainable growth objectives.

Speaking at the circular economy session, Ms. Nguyen Tram Anh shared that, over the years, UNIDO has actively accompanied the Government of Viet Nam in transitioning industrial parks toward more ecological and circular models. This approach is recognized as a strategic tool to advance green growth, reduce emissions, and enhance the competitiveness of industrial enterprises.

She emphasized the role of eco-industrial parks (EIPs) as an important mechanismvto shift from the traditional linear economic model of “take–make–dispose” to a circular model of “take–make–reuse/recycle.” According to her, eco-industrial parks are characterized by efficient resource use, application of cleaner production practices, environmental protection, and enhanced cooperation and linkages among enterprises, thereby delivering higher economic, environmental, and social benefits compared to conventional industrial parks.

Viet Nam began piloting eco-industrial park initiatives in 2015 with technical assistance from UNIDO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance (formerly the Ministry of Planning and Investment) and with support from international partners such as SECO and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). To date, Viet Nam’s EIP practice has achieved notable progress, both in policy development and practical implementation.

On the policy front, one of the most significant achievements has been the institutionalization of the eco-industrial park model within the national legal framework. The model is now stipulated in Decree No. 35/2022/ND-CP and Circular No. 05/2025/TT-BKHĐT, defining clear criteria, recognition procedures, and implementation mechanisms. For the first time, the concepts of eco-industrial parks and eco-enterprises have been formally established, creating an essential legal basis to encourage industrial park transformation and access to incentives. EIP principles have also been mainstreamed into key national strategies such as the National Strategy on Sustainable Production and Consumption to 2030, the National Green Growth Strategy 2021–2030 with a vision to 2050, and Resolution No. 59 of the Politburo.

In practice, the GEIPP Viet Nam project implemented by UNIDO has carried out extensive technical interventions at pilot industrial parks including DEEP C (Hai Phong), Amata (Dong Nai), Hiep Phuoc (Ho Chi Minh City), Hoa Khanh (Da Nang), and Tra Noc 1 & 2 (Can Tho). From 2020 to 2024, more than 90 enterprises received direct support, with 889 solutions identified and 429 successfully implemented. As a result, enterprises have saved over 14,000 MWh of electricity, 264,000 GJ of fossil fuel annually, nearly 280,000 m³ of water, recycled tens of thousands of tons of materials, and reduced almost 140,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent each year, generating economic benefits equivalent to USD 2.6 million and leveraging an additional USD 3.3 million in private investment.

UNIDO has also supported industrial parks and enterprises in applying the international eco-industrial park framework, promoting renewable energy use, sustainable water and waste management, reducing carbon footprints, and enhancing climate resilience. In parallel, guidance materials, technical toolkits, and implementation support platforms have been continually developed, contributing to improved management capacity and stakeholder awareness.

Looking ahead, Ms. Nguyen Tram Anh stressed that scaling up eco-industrial park development nationwide is essential. A crucial next step is the establishment of a dedicated national support programme for EIP development, backed by financial resources and an authorized institutional system with clear mandates to formulate and enforce EIP-related policies from central to local levels. She also called for the introduction of practical policy incentives to foster circular economy development—particularly the reuse of treated wastewater—and mechanisms to encourage enterprises and industrial parks to transition. Strengthened inter-ministerial coordination, policy dialogue, and sharing of best practices will also be vital to removing bottlenecks and paving the way for widespread replication of eco-industrial parks across the country.