Việt Nam, Czech Republic to strengthen  cooperation in environment protection

Chairman of the Committee on Public Administration, Regional Development and Environment of the Czech Republic Zbynek Linhart speaks at the working session. – Photo courtesy of baotainguyenmoitruong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and the Czech Republic will boost cooperation in environment protection and natural resources management, said Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Công Thanh.

During a working session in Hà Nội on January 15 with a delegation from the Czech Senate led by Chairman of its Committee on Public Administration, Regional Development and Environment Zbynek Linhart, Thanh highlighted Vietnam’s progressive approach to waste management, including plastic waste.

He underscored that Việt Nam has enacted the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection, featuring groundbreaking regulations on recycling, reusing waste, and promoting cutting-edge technologies for energy recovery through waste incineration.

Thanh pointed out the Vietnamese Government’s commitment outlined in the National Power Development Plan VIII, which prioritises phasing out thermal power while increasing the share of renewable energy.

Furthermore, Việt Nam, in collaboration with international partners, is actively realising the Political Declaration on establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JEPT). This initiative aims to facilitate collaboration with global partners for policy refinement, technology transfer, and financial support to achieve an equitable transition towards clean energy.

Linhart, for his part, said the delegation wants to acquire Vietnam’s management experience in waste disposal, plastic waste pollution prevention and clean energy development. These are issues faced by the Czech Republic, particularly due to the escalating volume of waste and the fact that half of its energy is generated from coal.

He hoped that the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and relevant agencies in the Czech Republic will further expand cooperation into additional areas while strengthening relationship in natural resources and environment.

In 2019, the MoNRE and the Czech Ministry of Environment signed an action plan for the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation covering the 2020-2025 period. — VNS