Following the training activities to raise awareness for parties about the model of ecological industrial parks (IPs) and regulations on the development and conversion of ecological IP models in Vietnam that have been carried out recently, today, November 23, 2021, the Ministry of Planning and Investment in coordination with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) organized the “Workshop to introduce the model of ecological industrial parks in Vietnam” to introduce the model, benefits and development trends of ecological industrial parks in the world as well as introduce and update the legal framework on the ecological industrial park model stipulated in the Draft Decree on management of industrial parks and economic zones.

This is one of the important activities within the framework of the Project “Implementing eco-industrial parks in Vietnam following the approach from the Global Eco-Industrial Park Program” co-implemented by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and UNIDO with the goal of “Improving environmental, economic and social efficiency in Vietnam through implementing the eco-industrial park approach in selected pilot industrial parks and increasing the role of eco-industrial parks in environmental, industrial and other related policies at the national level”. This activity of the Project will contribute to raising awareness among parties about the eco-industrial park model in the world and regulations on the development and conversion of eco-industrial park models in Vietnam in order to promote the conversion of current industrial parks towards a more sustainable direction, meeting the needs of developing sustainable industrial park models and contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals (VSDGs) of the Government of Vietnam.

Chairing the workshop, Mr. Tran Quoc Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Zones Management, Ministry of Planning and Investment, said: “The rapid industrialization process in Vietnam has posed many environmental challenges. In addition, on a global scale, to achieve sustainable development goals, countries will transform and orient the sustainable development of industrial parks through advanced management models; cooperation and symbiosis to effectively use raw materials, energy, resources, and share common services; form industry clusters to optimize production and market factors; harmoniously combine and balance economic, social and environmental aspects and promote a circular economy. Vietnam is gradually transforming its development model, including industrial parks, towards a more sustainable direction, in line with the National Strategy on Green Growth, Vietnam’s commitment to implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, the Agreement on Sustainable Development. the Paris Agreement on climate change and most recently the Prime Minister’s commitment at the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow (UK) on the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050″.

Mr. Alessandro Flammini, UNIDO Headquarters Representative, said: “UNIDO’s mission is to coordinate with agencies to support member countries and developing countries to achieve sustainable development goals in the industrial sector. Specifically, this Project is implemented to ensure effective economic development performance of industrial zones while increasing resilience to climate change, protecting human health as well as protecting the environment. In Vietnam, we are implementing workshops to raise awareness among parties and provide opportunities to develop eco-industrial park models in some localities. Through the Ministry of Planning and Investment, we hope to turn the results of the workshops into policy documents and legal documents so that this model can be replicated, reaching more than 300 industrial zones in Vietnam. The COVID-19 pandemic has left many consequences, but it has also opened up many opportunities for change and development, and this model is one of those opportunities”

Speaking at At the workshop, Ms. Sybylle Bachmann, representative of sponsor SECO (Swiss Federal State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) said: “This is an important project, defined by promoting the benefits of eco-industrial parks/green industrial parks through improving the economic, environmental and social performance of enterprises, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable economy, a green economy. Through the project, we can see the readiness of the Vietnamese government and local authorities in accelerating the development of eco-industrial park projects at all levels. I believe that our cooperation is a strong commitment to join hands in developing a sustainable economy”.

The workshop was held online from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the participation of nearly 200 delegates from 30 Management Boards of industrial parks and economic zones in the southern provinces, 80 enterprises investing in and operating industrial park infrastructure (in the southern region) and some international organizations and associations in Vietnam.