Several mechanisms facilitating eco-industrial parks development
The development of eco-industrial parks is not only an inevitable trend, but also contributes to the achievement goal of net zero emissions in Vietnam by 2050.
According to data from the Economic Zones Management Department (Ministry of Planning and Investment), Vietnam currently has 400 industrial parks and 19 coastal economic zones. Vietnam’s industrial parks system and economic zones have actively contributed to the socio-economic development of the country.
However, the development of industrial parks and economic zones also reveals shortcomings and affects environmental pollution. Enterprises operating in industrial parks and economic zones also do not fully exploit raw materials and fuels in the production process, wasting resources and energy.
To overcome the shortcomings of traditional industrial parks, Mr. Le Thanh Quan, Director of the Department of Management of Economic Zones, states that the development of ecological industrial parks in a sustainable way has become an inevitable trend. It has been implemented by many countries around the world, such as Korea, Switzerland, Japan, etc. Vietnam is not an exception to that general development trend.
Mr. Le Thanh Quan affirmed that the development of eco-industrial parks also helps to achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, the National Strategy on Green Growth 2021-2023, a vision for 2050, and Vietnam’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 at COP 26.
To facilitate the development of eco-industrial parks, on May 22th, 2018, the Government issued Decree No. 82/2018/ND-CP stipulating the management of industrial parks and economic zones. It clearly states that the State encourages and takes measures to support organizations and individuals to invest in the establishment or transformation of all or part of an industrial park under the planning approved by a competent authority. operating under the model of supporting industrial parks and eco-industrial parks as prescribed in this Decree.
In addition, investors in infrastructure development and investors who lease or sub-lease land with infrastructure in supporting industrial parks and ecological industrial parks are entitled to incentives applicable to an investment in infrastructure. To enter industrial parks, incentives are applied according to geographical areas and sectors, and occupations as prescribed by law and are supported by competent state agencies in administrative procedures, technical advice, investment promotion, provision of information on investment cooperation as prescribed in this Decree.
In particular, to facilitate the development of eco-industrial parks, the Government recently issued Decree 35/2022/ND-CP to replace Decree 82/2018, stipulating many related mechanisms and policies. to the development of eco-industrial parks.
To support and complete the guiding documents for the implementation of Decree 35/2022/ND-CP, the Eco-Industrial Park Index has also been formed by the “Project on the development of eco-industrial parks in the next direction from the Global Eco-Industrial Park Program” conducted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), to evaluate the performance and measure progress of the transformation of industrial zones towards eco-industrial parks. Thereby establishing and forming a database system experiment on eco-industrial parks and Vietnam’s regulations on eco-industrial parks with groups of environmental and socio-economic criteria.
Speaking at the recent seminar to consult the research results and propose the application of the Eco-Industrial Park Index, Ms. Vuong Thi Minh Hieu, Deputy Director of the Economic Zones Management Department (Ministry of Planning and Investment), commented: The eco-industrial park index is integrated from the International Framework and regulations on management of industrial zones and economic zones of Vietnam, including over 70 indicators; therefore needs to be screened and selected to find the indicators that are suitable and feasible with the conditions of Vietnam.
The completed set of indicators will support industrial parks and enterprises to position themselves according to the criteria, thereby building a roadmap to achieve the requirements of eco-industrial parks and ecological enterprises. The index also supports industrial parks, enterprises that have been certified as eco-industrial parks, and eco-enterprises to self-control and continuously improve the implementation process. At the same time, it supports local state management agencies to monitor, supervise and evaluate the effectiveness of implementation and re-certify eco-industrial parks and eco-enterprises according to the provisions of Decree 35/2022/ ND-CP.
With the suitability of the index, representatives of the Management Board of industrial parks and economic zones and enterprises investing in infrastructure to build industrial parks and economic zones said that the index set is the basis for businesses to self-assess where they are. At the same time, it is an effective tool to support state management agencies and businesses in the country’s development-oriented transition. However, according to UNIDO technical experts, the set of indicators on eco-industrial parks must ensure the suitability, performance, and scientific basis following the conditions of Vietnam in the following aspects: Environment, industrial park management, society and economy.
In addition to mechanisms and policies from the state, technical and financial support from international organizations such as SECO (Swiss Federal Economic Commission), UNIDO, and World Bank, the implementation of eco-industrial parks needs unity and great determination from the state management agencies in charge of industrial parks and economic zones in the localities, industrial park infrastructure development companies, and enterprises in industrial parks, economic zones.
Source: Cong Thuong
