Conditions for environmental monitoring in Vietnam

Conditions for environmental monitoring in Vietnam (Internet image) 

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Conditions for environmental monitoring in Vietnam

Conditions for environmental monitoring in Vietnam according to Article 110 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 are as follows:

- National environmental monitoring programs, local environmental monitoring programs and environmental monitoring programs of businesses and service providers prescribed by regulations of law on environmental protection and other monitoring activities serving state management of environmental protection in accordance with regulations on environmental monitoring must be carried out by organizations certified as eligible to provide environmental monitoring services.

- Organizations that satisfy requirements concerning personnel and equipment for environmental monitoring and technical conditions applied to laboratories and adopt environmental monitoring methods shall be issued with the certificate of eligibility to provide environmental monitoring services. Certificate holders must operate within the certified scope.

- Entities carrying out environmental monitoring on a periodic, regular and continuous manner in order to provide and publish information about environmental quality to the community must comply with technical requirements for environmental monitoring as prescribed by law.

2. Responsibility for environmental monitoring in Vietnam

Responsibility for environmental monitoring in Vietnam according to Article 109 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 are as follows:

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall:

+ Direct, provide guidance on and inspect environmental monitoring nationwide; organize the execution of the national environmental monitoring programs including environmental monitoring programs for inter-provincial rivers and lakes, sea, key economic regions, inter-regional, inter-provincial and transboundary areas and environment in geographically distinct zones; carry out biodiversity monitoring in wildlife sanctuaries;

+ Formulate, appraise and submit to the Prime Minister the comprehensive planning for national environmental monitoring for approval in accordance with regulations of law on planning;

+ Provide technical guidance on building national and provincial environmental monitoring systems; biodiversity monitoring.

- The Ministry of Science and Technology shall organize the execution of radioactivity monitoring programs including programs for monitoring radioactive components in the environment.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall organize the execution of environmental monitoring programs serving agricultural management including water, soil and sediment monitoring programs serving the purposes of irrigation, fishing, aquaculture, agriculture, forestry and salt production.

- The Ministry of Health shall organize the execution of occupational environment monitoring programs in the workplace.

- The Ministry of National Defense shall participate in offshore water monitoring and transboundary environmental monitoring.

- Provincial People’s Committees shall organize the execution of environmental monitoring programs within their provinces, submit annual environmental monitoring reports to provincial People's Councils and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

3. Objects subject to environmental monitoring in Vietnam

Objects subject to environmental monitoring according to Article 108 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 are as follows:

- Environmental components to be monitored include:

+ Water, including surface water, groundwater and seawater;

+ Ambient air;

+ Soil and sediments;

+ Biodiversity;

+ Noise, vibration, radiation, light.

- Waste sources, waste and pollutants to be monitored include:

+ Wastewater and exhaust gases;

+ Controlled industrial waste for identifying hazardous waste as prescribed by law;

+ Radioactivity;

+ Persistent pollutants that are released into and accumulate in the environment;

+ Other pollutants.

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