The Vietnam Sustainability Forum 2019

The Vietnam Sustainability Forum, 2nd time, organized by Vietnam Association of Scientists and Experts and Academy of Policy and Development on January 17- 18, 2019 in Hanoi, with participation experts from scientists, businesses and leaders from many countries around the world. In the framework of the Forum, GreenHub Director – Ms. Tran Thi Hoa was invited to be a speaker in the Seminar entitled “Implementing policies to respond to climate change – Sharing good practices and promoting cooperation. Ms. Hoa gave a presentation on “Current status of marine plastic waste in Vietnam”, focusing on the following contents:

  1. The problem of plastic waste in the ocean in Vietnam: data of marine waste GreenHub obtained and synthesized from Ocean Conservancy organization in the period of 2000 to 2017, in which polystyrene accounts for 29% and plastic bags 27% of the total garbage collected.
  2. Data on waste after 4 coastal cleaning-up events (from 2016 to 2018) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and GreenHub and partners in Ha Long Bay: more than 50% of the total garbage collected is polystyrene. The data collected in 2016 was reported to Ha Long City People’s Committee and immediately the Ha Long government issued a decision of banning the use of styrofoam buoys in aquaculture cages in Halong Bay.  In 2017, this Decision took effect throughout Quang Ninh province, issued by the Provincial People’s Committee.
  3. GreenHub particiaptes a global research of the Marine debris survey coordinated by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization – Australia). Expected in 2019, GreenHub will publish the Vietnam rapid survey Report of marine debris.

During the seminar, participants discussed on plastic waste management issues as well as initiatives to cope with climate change.

Answering a question from a businessman, Ms. Tran Thi Hoa said GreenHub is willing to cooperate with recycling businesses, promoting initiatives on recycling plastic waste. However, Ms. Hoa also emphasized the message that GreenHub prioritizes the management of plastic waste, which is to implement 5Rs (Refuse, Reduce, reuse, recycle, Rot -organic waste compost), in which push consumer behavior Rejecting single-use plastic products, then come to recycling and reuse initiatives.

In cooperation with climate change, cooperation of the parties is required. GreenHub has participated in networks, alliances in waste management and climate change response in Vietnam and in the region. Climate change initiatives as well as international methods / tools to be applied in Vietnam must be considered to adjust to local conditions.

With the participation of many speakers as leaders, scientists and global experts, the presentation content provides many experiences and initiatives in the field of environmental protection, response to climate change and knowledge revolution. These experiences and initiatives will contribute to the process of building Vietnam for sustainable development.