As Viet Nam accelerates efforts to pursue rapid growth while reducing emissions, science and technology, together with international cooperation, are increasingly viewed as key drivers in addressing environmental challenges.
On March 13, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh met with scientists from 16 universities and research institutes worldwide, led by Associate Professor Hoang Tham of Auburn University (United States), to discuss potential cooperation in environmental management and sustainable development.
International cooperation key to sustainable growth
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh said that as global challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, and growing pressure on natural resources intensify, strengthening international cooperation in scientific research, knowledge sharing, and human resource development is particularly important.
According to the Deputy Minister, environmental protection, green growth, and sustainable agricultural development are among Viet Nam’s key priorities. The country is setting new growth targets for the coming period, including an ambition of double-digit economic growth while ensuring sustainability requirements. Achieving this goal will require the creation of new growth drivers that support rapid development with low emissions.
He added that in the environmental sector, the Ministry is expediting revisions to the Law on Environmental Protection, which is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration this year. One of the key focuses of the revised draft law is promoting the circular economy and developing environmental industries. In this context, the visit by the international group of scientists was considered significant, helping shape future research directions and opening up new opportunities for cooperation in scientific research and sustainable development.
The Deputy Minister also praised the reputation and research capacity of Auburn University and expressed confidence that the meeting would enable the Ministry’s specialized units and Auburn experts to exchange information, share experience, and discuss potential cooperation in areas such as environmental management, meteorology and hydrology, marine resources, and sustainable development.
Science and global cooperation key to tackling environmental challenges
At the meeting, Director of the Department of Science and Technology Nguyen Van Long said that in recent years Viet Nam has introduced a number of major policies to promote science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, supporting economic development alongside environmental protection.
One of the key directions identified by the Party and the State is to strengthen international cooperation to access advanced technologies while encouraging the participation of scientific communities both within Viet Nam and abroad in addressing sustainable development challenges.
According to Director Nguyen Van Long, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has implemented several measures to realize these directions. These include restructuring and consolidating science and technology organizations to strengthen research capacity and the application of environmental technologies. At the same time, the Ministry is developing a human resource development strategy for the agriculture and environment sectors, focusing on training highly qualified personnel to support advances in science and technology.
The Ministry is also coordinating with other ministries and agencies to develop mechanisms to attract overseas Vietnamese scientists and international experts to Viet Nam to collaborate on research and deploy science and technology solutions for sectoral development.
Representing the Department of Environment, Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Thien Phuong said that alongside its economic achievements, Viet Nam is facing several environmental challenges, including air pollution, water pollution, solid waste management, and urban environmental management issues. Learning from international experience and accessing advanced technologies for pollution monitoring, treatment, and environmental risk assessment is therefore an urgent priority, she said.
During the meeting, international scientists also shared research findings and practical experience to support Viet Nam in responding to global environmental challenges.
Professor Bryan Brooks of Baylor University (United States) said the world is facing a “triple crisis” of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Climate change, he noted, is increasing risks to both people and ecosystems.
According to Professor Bryan Brooks, the impacts of climate change extend beyond agriculture, drinking water supplies, and fisheries. They also increase the likelihood of natural disasters and trigger cascading effects related to chemicals and waste in the environment.
He also highlighted another major challenge: humanity is producing an ever-growing number of chemicals while knowledge about their impacts on the environment and human health remains limited. Addressing this issue requires advancing green chemistry and engineering approaches that emphasize “safe and sustainable by design,” also referred to as sustainable molecular design.
Professor Bryan Brooks said this presents significant opportunities to strengthen collaboration between the scientific community and businesses to drive innovation and support the transition toward a circular economy and sustainable development. He added that today’s environmental challenges are inherently interdisciplinary and require close cooperation among scientists from different fields and countries.
Concluding the meeting, international experts said they were impressed by the commitments and action plans of the Vietnamese government on environmental protection and sustainable development. They also affirmed their readiness to continue cooperating and sharing knowledge and technology to support Viet Nam in addressing environmental challenges in the coming years.
On May 24, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh held a meeting with EREX Group Chairman Honna Hitoshi and the Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki. The discussions focused on cooperation in developing biomass energy and the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In observance of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2024, celebrated on May 22nd, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has issued a directive to ministries, sectors, and localities, outlining strategies to commemorate this event.
During the meeting with Senator Jenny McAllister, Australia's Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, in Hanoi on April 17th, the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Le Cong Thanh, expressed the hope for enhanced cooperation between Australia and Vietnam on climate, energy, and the environment under the newly signed Comprehensive Partnership.
On April 5th, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh hosted a meeting with Ms. Aler Grubbs, Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam, to discuss the expansion of cooperation in environmental protection
On March 29th, the Medal "For the cause of natural resources and environment" was presented by Minister Dang Quoc Khanh to Country Director for Vietnam at the World Bank (WB) Carolyn Turk, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Vietnam's environmental and natural resource sector.
