The more you develop, the more you care about the environment

Meeting the beginning of the week with Tuoi Tre , Mr. NGUYEN NGOC SINH, chairman of the Vietnam Association for Nature and Environment Protection, former Director of the Environmental Protection Department, warned: 'If you cannot solve the environmental problem, then don't can solve development problems in integration '.

* Actual situation of environmental pollution is taking place seriously in many regions throughout the country while the capacity of state management agencies on environmental protection is weak. Why, sir?

- Mr. NGUYEN NGOC SINH (photo): The capacity of the state management agency on environment is still weak and insufficient, it must be greatly enhanced. A province has millions of people, thousands and tens of thousands of production facilities whose staff is in charge of environmental management only 5-6 people, many places are 15 people. The world thinks that our rate of environmental management is the lowest in the world.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh
(Photo: TTO)

For the current situation of environmental pollution, there is a very basic cause because the state management agencies on environment have not checked and supervised well. Besides, regulations on inspection, supervision and control are not strict, not complete and compliance with regulations on control is not strictly. Another reason is that our awareness of environmental protection is inadequate.

* In your opinion, which areas are currently considered alarms for environmental pollution?

- Currently the environmental pollution is most noticeable for three areas: industrial parks, strong urbanization zones and the region with residual war consequences. Areas with strong growth in industry as well as urbanization are facing environmental pollution, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Vung Tau . Although in In the process of industrial development and urban development, these localities have paid attention to the issue of environmental protection, but because the proposed measures have not reached the necessary level, pollution still occurs.

I think that in the coming time, localities need to strengthen the general disclosure of the current status of air environment and water environment. Currently Ho Chi Minh City has done a very good job of announcing the list of ' black ' production facilities causing environmental pollution. The Prime Minister also made a decision on a plan to thoroughly handle establishments that pollute the environment, which lists each establishment causing environmental pollution.

* What do you think when there are some managers who have a loose view for economic development, the issue of environmental protection after?

- The viewpoint of loosening economic development and environmental protection is lost at the present time. Sometimes people take the issue of economic development too seriously. It is argued that without economic development, how to protect the environment! It may be that people are more inclined to economic development or there are some places that favor environmental protection. In an overall perspective, try to harmonize that problem.

Currently, there are also some short-term prospective businesses that should import backward production technologies, causing environmental pollution. Meanwhile, our handling is not serious.

The quality of life in Ho Chi Minh City cannot be better when many areas are still contaminated like this (photo taken at Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal) - (Photo: NCT)

* Before building a large project or a manufacturing plant, will we always conduct an assessment of the environmental impact, but why then that work, that factory still causes pollution?

- I think that the problem is whether the investor has applied environmentally friendly technology, but after making an environmental impact assessment report, it is necessary to fully prepare environmental protection solutions. The report has not raised, investors have educated employees to comply with regulations on environmental protection . The second issue related to state management agencies at central and local levels: Forcing enterprises to fully implement the post-assessment of environmental impact, whether or not to regularly supervise, whether to create conditions for enterprises to implement . Thirdly, the supervision of the community ; communities have the right to require factories and enterprises to protect the environment.

* How do you assess if environmental pollution continues to increase?

- Of course that will affect all three factors: economy, society and quality of life. The first is to slow down the pace of economic development. If our goods are produced from environmental pollution, countries will not import, will be more cautious with the purchase of the product or will tighten the quality control. The second is impact on society. When production causes environmental pollution, people will react to policies to develop, prevent production, seek to encircle and isolate production facilities that cause pollution and social disturbance. The third is affecting the quality of life. The more environmental pollution the quality of life is affected.

The challenge for Vietnam now is to harmonize economic development benefits with investment in environmental issues. One of the criteria for international integration is to solve the environmental problem well. We export our products to foreign countries, they will see the environment of soil, water, biological environment where we produce products, the production process is environmentally friendly or not. So, whether we want to or not, we must also meet environmental conditions. If not solving the environmental problem, it cannot solve the development problem in integration.

HAPPY done

Quality ranking of cities in the world: Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi dropped two grades .

Mercer Consulting Group (based in New York, USA) has just released a ranking of the best quality cities in the world in 2007. Mercer collected information from September to November. -2006 of 215 cities worldwide.

The result of Switzerland's Zurich city took first place, second place also belongs to a Swiss city of Geneva, ranking third in the city of Vancouver (Canada) and Vienna (Austria). .The Asia-Pacific region is present in the top 10 locations with two representatives, Auckland (New Zealand) and fifth in Australia (Sydney).The process of modernizing medical infrastructure has improved living conditions in some Chinese cities (Shanghai 100, Beijing 116) but air pollution, waste treatment and drainage systems water is still a concern of this country.This year, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi of Vietnam ranked 150 and 157, falling two places compared to the ranking of 2006 (148th and 155th).

This ranking is based on 39 criteria with main categories such as: social and political environment, economic environment, socio-cultural environment, health and sanitation services, quality of education and schools, public services and transportation, entertainment services, consumer products, home services and natural environments.

HONG THANH (According to Bussiness Week, Mercerhr.com)