Law on Environmental Protection: Prioritize Raising Legal Awareness

VUSTA Vice President Pham Quang Thao and Deputy Secretary General cum Director of Science, Technology and Environment Department Le Cong Luong co-chaired the seminar

Addressing the opening of the seminar, VUSTA Vice President Pham Quang Thao highlighted that: To implement further the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, on July 1, 2022, the Government promulgated Decree 06/2022/ND-CP (Decree 06) on mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and protection of ozone layer. To date, the contents of the Decree are still relevant and are being implemented. Recently, the development of the carbon market has taken place rapidly and the demand for carbon credit trading has increased. However, Vietnam still lacks the legal framework to bring the carbon market into operation.

Vice President VUSTA Pham Quang Thao addressed the opening of the seminar

Assessing the implementation of Decree 06, there is a need to amend and supplement several articles to meet practical requirements in both international and domestic contexts. This also requires amending and supplementing Circular 01/2022/TT-BTNMT issued by MONRE, which provides guidelines for implementing the Law on Environmental Protection regarding response to climate change. Therefore, the VUSTA Vice President expressed the hope that delegates would attend the seminar with enthusiasm and responsibility, making valuable contributions in an open and frank manner to help the drafting agency refine the draft Decree and the draft Circular.

Mr. Nguyen Ba Tu (Department of Climate Change under MONRE) presented the draft Circular 01/2022 (amended)

According to Mr. Nguyen Ba Tu, the draft Decree and the draft Circular have been developed and amended several current regulations. They have also added some regulations to create favorable conditions for agencies, organizations, and businesses to implement policies on the reduction of GHG emissions, the development of the carbon market, and the protection of the ozone layer.

The draft Decree focuses on 5 key issues: 1. Strengthening GHG inventory to facilitate the allocation of GHG emission quotas in preparation for the carbon market; 2. Regulations governing the allocation of GHG emission quotas; 3. Detailed regulations on the organization of the carbon market, management of domestic carbon credits, and the exchange of quotas and carbon credits on the domestic carbon exchange; 4. Regulations on international carbon credit exchange as per the provisions of the Paris Agreement; 5. Regulations aimed at protecting the ozone layer.

MONRE has uploaded the Draft on the Vietnam Government Portal and of the Ministry its own to collect opinions widely. The Ministry has also sent official dispatches to collect opinions from relevant agencies and organizations.

Former VUSTA President Pham Van Tan spoke at the seminar

During the seminar, former VUSTA President Pham Van Tan mentioned that the Government has adjusted Decree 06, leading to several issues that need to be considered. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to amend Circular No. 01/2022/TT-BTNMT.

He also suggested replacing the phrase "mitigating GHG emissions" with "reducing emissions" to make the international goal that Vietnam has signed clearer. Mr. Tan also expressed his support for the Decree. The new regulations will help accelerate the development of the carbon market, reduce emissions, and provide resources for green technology transfer.

Director of the Planning and Development Institute Dang Huy Dong spoke at the seminar

According to Dang Huy Dong, the Director of the Planning and Development Institute, it is essential to add provisions for financial and human resource feasibility, as well as regulations for solid waste processing, and the "urban planning and construction" sector in the Decree.

The majority of delegates agreed that it is essential to disseminate and educate more about the 2020 Environmental Protection Law for it to be truly effective.