What is Net Zero? What are 3 ways to pay environmental protection fees for emissions in Vietnam from January 05, 2025?

What is Net Zero?

Net Zero is a concept that is frequently mentioned in the fight against climate change. In simple terms, Net Zero means achieving a state where the total greenhouse gases emitted is equal to the amount of greenhouse gases absorbed or removed from the atmosphere.

Why is Net Zero important?

(1) Climate Change: Excessive greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere are the main cause of climate change, increasing the Earth's temperature, and causing extreme weather events such as storms and droughts.

(2) Environmental Protection: Achieving the Net Zero goal helps protect living environments, biodiversity, and natural ecosystems.

(3) Sustainable Development: Net Zero is an integral part of building a sustainable future, ensuring a good quality of life for future generations.

To achieve the Net Zero goal, various measures need to be implemented, including:

(1) Emission Reduction:

- Renewable Energy: Enhance the usage of clean energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric power, etc.

- Energy Efficiency: Improve energy use efficiency in industries, transportation, construction, etc.

- Forest Conservation: Forests play an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide.

- Carbon Capture and Storage

- Technology: Develop new technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide.

(2) Carbon Offsetting:

Projects: Invest in greenhouse gas reduction projects such as reforestation, mangrove conservation, etc.

*Note: Information about what Net Zero is intended for reference only./.

What is Net Zero? What are 3 ways to pay environmental protection fees for emissions in Vietnam from January 05, 2025? (Image from the Internet)

What are 3 ways to pay environmental protection fees for emissions in Vietnam from January 05, 2025?

Based on Part 2 of the newly issued administrative procedures in the field of taxation within the management functions of the Ministry of Finance promulgated together with Decision 2869/QD-BTC, the implementation methods for declaring and paying environmental protection fees for emissions from January 05, 2025, are as follows:

- Fee payers submit their applications using one of the following methods:

+ Direct submission at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Division of Natural Resources and Environment; Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense (or agencies authorized by the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense to receive the fee declaration forms).

+ Submission via postal services.

+ Submission through electronic means provided technical infrastructure allows and complies with legal provisions related to electronic transactions, digital signatures, and electronic documents.

- Fee payers pay fees, including late payment fees (if any), using one of the following methods:

+ Non-cash payment to the fee collecting organization’s dedicated fee account at a credit institution.

+ Payment to the fee account pending submission to the State Budget held by the fee collecting organization at the State Treasury.

+ Payment through the account of an agency or organization different from the fee collecting organization (applies to administrative procedures, public service provision online as per the Government of Vietnam's regulations on one-stop, interconnected, one-stop mechanism in administrative procedure resolution).

Thus, according to the above regulation, the 3 ways to pay environmental protection fees for emissions from January 05, 2025, are as follows:

[1] Direct submission at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Division of Natural Resources and Environment; Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense (or agencies authorized by the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense to receive the fee declaration forms).

[2] Submission via postal services.

[3] Submission through electronic means provided technical infrastructure allows and complies with legal provisions related to electronic transactions, digital signatures, and electronic documents.

What are responsibilities of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in managing environmental protection fees in Vietnam?

Based on Article 9 of Decree 153/2024/ND-CP stipulating the Department of Natural Resources and Environment's responsibilities as follows:

- Appraise the fee declaration, issue a Notification for Payment of Environmental Protection Fees for emissions, calculate late payment fees in accordance with tax management laws (if any); manage the collection and payment of environmental protection fees for emissions; classify fixed and variable fee subjects, post the list of emissions discharge facilities obliged to pay environmental protection fees for emissions on the electronic portal of the fee collecting organization; urge fee payers to declare and pay environmental protection fees for emissions accordingly.

- Annually, prepare budget estimates, settle accounts for collection and expenditure of environmental protection fees for emissions according to regulations of the law on fees and charges and the law on the state budget.

- The Department of Natural Resources and Environment compiles data on environmental protection fees for emissions in the locality, reports to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment by May 31 of the following year; proposes amendments and supplements regarding fee rates, management, and use of environmental protection fees for emissions (if any), submitting to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for compilation of proposals and recommendations for amendments and supplements to fee collection documents (if any).