Vietnam: What are the current effective environmental protection measures? What are the responsibilities of individuals and households in environmental protection?

Main Content

• What are the current effective environmental protection measures in Vietnam?
• What are the responsibilities of individuals and households in Vietnam in environmental protection?
• What are the regulations on communication and dissemination of knowledge and law relating to environmental protection in Vietnam?

What are the current effective environmental protection measures in Vietnam?

To understand environmental protection measures, it is first necessary to understand the concept of environment.

The environment specified in Clause 1, Article 3 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 encompasses natural and artificial physical factors that are closely related to each other, surround humans, and affect life, economy, society, existence and development of humans, creatures, and nature.

Environmental protection measures can be understood as an environmental protection activity according to Clause 2, Article 3 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 which means preventing and reducing adverse impacts on the environment; responding to environmental emergencies; mitigating environmental pollution and degradation, improving environmental quality; reasonably using natural resources and biodiversity, and adapting to climate change.

You can refer to the current effective environmental protection measures :

Firstly, plant more trees, preserve trees, and protect forests

As you know, trees absorb carbon dioxide, prevent soil erosion, and provide an ecological environment for all living things. At the national level, it is important to focus on forest protection, planting trees to cover bare hills.

Greenery regulates the air and provides habitat. Being in a small area is the awareness of protecting trees in public, where you live as well as where you work. You can plant trees around the house to get shade, or grow ornamental plants indoors, or grow greens for living.

Secondly, use substances from nature, minimize the use of chemicals

Pesticides or chemicals used in daily life are one of the causes of diseases such as cancer and other diseases related to the brain. Therefore, it is recommended to use tools and materials derived from nature to protect health and protect the environment.

Thirdly, use clean energy, save electricity

Increase the use of clean energy sources that can wind and sunshine because these energy sources are renewable and can be used at any time, especially when used will not generate emissions harmful to the environment. Besides using clean energy sources to limit harmful emissions, this is a way to save electricity.

Fourthly, limit the use of plastic bags

You may not know that a plastic bag takes hundreds of years to decompose. Currently, many people have the habit of using plastic bags because of their convenience. Because of this, environmental pollution has increased. Meanwhile, to produce 100 million plastic bags costs 12 million barrels of kerosene and emissions it releases into the environment. Therefore, it is recommended that you limit the use of plastic bags instead of using shopping baskets, paper, leaves ...

Fifthly, conduct waste recycling

Recycling waste is not simply a solution to protect the environment, and limit waste but also create many different products, save materials for production and business, and reuse utensils in daily life and production.

The waste that is often reused is mostly in solid form such as plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, iron,... Depending on the damage rate, companies and factories will buy scrap and produce it into other more useful products.

What are the responsibilities of individuals and households in Vietnam in environmental protection?

Under Article 60 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 as follows:

Households and individuals shall:

+ Minimize and classify domestic solid waste at source, collect and transport classified domestic waste to designated places;

+ Minimize, treat, and discharge wastewater into designated places; not let domestic animals spoil hygiene in residential areas;

+ Not emit exhaust gases, make noises, vibrations, and other impacts that cause negative impacts to the local community;

+ Pay the fees for waste collection, transport, and treatment services as prescribed by law;

+ Participate in environmental protection in the residential community;

+ Have sanitation works as prescribed. In case of failure to have any work or equipment for wastewater treatment or construction, renovation or repair of a detached house in an urban area or high-density residential area, it is required to construct and install work or equipment for in situ wastewater treatment by environmental protection requirements as prescribed.

- Household-scale livestock farms must maintain hygiene, not make noises and emit unpleasant odors; livestock waste must be collected and treated by regulations of law on environmental protection and other relevant regulations of law.

- Authorities appraising construction designs and issuing construction permits to construction works and residential houses of households and individuals in urban areas by regulations of law on construction shall appraise construction designs and issue construction permits, including works and equipment for in situ wastewater treatment by environmental protection requirements.

What are the regulations on communication and dissemination of knowledge and law relating to environmental protection in Vietnam?

Under the provisions of Article 154 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, the communication and dissemination of knowledge and law relating to environmental protection in Vietnam are specified as follows:

- The communication and dissemination of knowledge and law relating to environmental protection shall be carried out regularly and widely.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall preside over and cooperate with other Ministries, ministerial agencies, socio-political organizations, communication agencies and press agencies in communicating and disseminating knowledge and law relating to environmental protection.

- Ministries and ministerial agencies shall preside over and cooperate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, communication agencies and press agencies in communicating and disseminating knowledge and law relating to environmental protection in the fields under their management.

- Provincial People’s Committees shall preside over and cooperate with communication agencies and press agencies in communicating and disseminating knowledge and law relating to environmental protection within their provinces.