ABBREVIATIONS

NSEP	National Strategy for Environmental Protection
EAP	Environmental Action Plan
MOSTE	Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment
NEA	National Environment Agency
MPI	Ministry of Planning and Investment
MARD	Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
MoF	Ministry of Finance
MoET	Ministry of Education and Training
MoI	Ministry of Industry
MoC	Ministry of Construction
MoTransportation	Ministry of Transportation
MoT	Ministry of Trade
MoFisheries	Ministry of Fisheries
MoNational Defense	Ministry of National Defense
MoCulture and Information	Ministry of Culture and Information
MoFA	Ministry of Foreign Affairs
VNAT	Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
GDLA	General Department of Land Administration
OoG	Office of Government
PPC	Provincial People’s Committee
NACESTID	National Center of Scientific and Technological Information and Database
EIA	Environmental Impact Assessment
NCST	National Center for Natural Science and Technology
NTFP	Non Timber Forest Products
CP	Cleaner Production
SOE	State of Environment
SME	Small and Medium Enterprises
MRC	Mekong River Committee
FPD	Forest Protection Department
GEF	Global Environment Facility

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. National Strategy for Environmental Protection 2001 - 2010

Following the adoption of the National Plan on Environment and Sustainable Development (NPESD) in 1991, Vietnam has made significant progress in enhancing environmental management and protection. Despite these achievements, Vietnam’s environment continues to deteriorate. Pursuant to the Political Bureau’s Directive 36/CT-TW on “Enhancing Environmental Protection in the Period of Modernization and Industrialization”, following the National Plan for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development 1991-2000, a National Strategy for Environmental Protection (NSEP) for the period 2001-2010 has been prepared by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE) and submitted to the Government.

The strategy was developed through an intensive consultative process spanning nearly three years, and involving a wide range of ministries, provincial authorities, research institutes, NGOs, bilateral and multilateral organizations, and other stakeholders.

The Strategy identifies three, over-arching objectives:

1. To continue to prevent and control pollution;

2. To protect, conserve and sustainably use natural and biodiversity resources; and

3. To start improving environmental quality in urban, industrial and rural areas.

These strategic objectives are to be achieved through the implementation of 77 programs under 13 specific objectives, and 8 crosscutting themes.

In 1999, a questionnaire survey was carried out by NEA/MoSTE that involved all 61 provinces and 35 national government institutions and NGOs. On the basis of this process, seven highest priority programs have been identified out of the seventy-seven related to the following issues: sustainable industrial development; solid and hazardous waste management; protection and sustainable use of water resources; sustainable use of forests; strengthened environmental management capacity; environmental education; and community movements of environmental protection.

Twenty-one programs in NSEP were ranked as high priority programs. The remaining forty-nine have the lowest priority. Annex 1 is a list of all NSEP programs with their ranking.

1.2 Orienting Plan for Priority Programmes of Environmental Protection 2001-2005 (hereinafter referred to as National Environmental Action Plan 2001 – 2005)

The National Environmental Action Plan 2001 -2005 (NEAP) is an effort to focus the wealth of information presented in the NSEP, and to prioritize the actions required to maintain and improve environmental conditions in Vietnam during the first five years of the decade 2001-2010. Traditionally, Government approves 10-year strategies, 5-year master plans and annual implementation plans. This five-year Action Plan is therefore a kind of hybrid between a sector master plan and an implementation plan. The process of drafting the National Environmental Action Plan is shown in figure 1.

VIETNAM

Orienting Plan for Priority Programmes of Environmental Protection 2001 - 2005 (ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN 2001 – 2005)

(Specific actions for the period 2001-2005 of National Strategy of Environmental Protection 2001-2010)

Hanoi, 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABBREVIATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. National Strategy for Environmental Protection 2001 - 2010

1.2 Orienting Plan for Priority Programmes of Environmental Protection 2001-2005 (hereinafter referred to as National Environmental Action Plan 2001 – 2005)