Nation has potential for green development

Delegates discuss green development at a seminar on local economic development on Wednesday - Photo: Ngoc Hung

Speaking at a seminar on local economic development in Dong Nai Province on Wednesday, Day said that Vietnam has a young population while many localities in the country have begun the urbanization process. The nation can learn from the green growth models of other countries to apply in local cities.

Victoria City’s government has encouraged the use of renewable energy in office buildings and has called for residents to use public transport, walk or travel by bicycle instead of driving a car, she said.

Nguyen Quang, director of the UN-Habitat program in Vietnam, said that green development is a low-carbon economy, meaning that the cities prioritize renewable energy use and support clean production. Residents in those cities also live a healthier, green life as well as saving energy and natural resources.

During the 90s, South Korea recognized its problems during its development process, prompting the nation to set up a green development strategy. The United Nations and countries around the world have considered the model as a good initiative for sustainable development and energy saving and have applied it in a number of cities, Quang said.

Vietnam has also witnessed its own pioneers in green development such as Hoi An City with ecological tours and Thai Nguyen Province with a community-based tourist model, Quang added.

David Devine, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Vietnam, said that the target of local economic development is to support local governments in strengthening their roles, assisting green development and creating a friendly environment for the community.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the motivation of employment, economic growth and poverty reduction. Therefore, they should receive the necessary support from local authorities.

“We have cooperated with Soc Trang and Ha Tinh provinces to support SMEs, raise competitiveness in the agriculture industry, assist farmers and push up green development,” Devine added.