Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

A policy on payment for environmental services has become an important source of financing for the forest sector, generating revenue for participating households and protecting about 4.6 million ha of forest [ ] 236 Integrating biodiversity into policy Biodiversity conservation is the responsibility not only of the en- vironment sector but also of many other sectors and governmental levels, especially businesses which rely on biodiversity and ecosystem services (such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism). Viet Nam’s National Strategy on Climate Change focuses on improving the quality of forests, afforestation, greening vacant land and bare hills, and ensuring the efficient exploitation of forests. It also aims to enhance the protection, man- agement and development of sub- merged forests and land ecosystems. A key goal is to increase the forest coverage to 45 per cent by 2020. The country’s National Strategy on Green Growth for the period 2011- 2020 and its vision to 2050 seeks to accelerate the process of restructur- ing and improving economic insti- tutions towards more efficient use of natural resources. This includes enhancing the competitiveness of the economy through increased invest- ment in technological innovation, natural capital and economic instru- ments. The strategy addresses threats posed by climate change and poverty. According to the National Strategy for Forestry Development 2006-2020, forest development should contribute to economic growth, hunger eradica- tion, poverty reduction and environ- mental protection. In this context, the management, use and sustainable development of forests provide the foundation for forestry development, based on promoting forest business and attracting investment resources for the protection and development of forests. A national programme to planting five million ha of forest between 1998 and 2010 has greened wasteland and barren hills, subsequently increas- ing the total forest area. A policy on payment for environmental services has become an important source of financing for the forest sector, generating revenue for participating households and protecting about 4.6 million ha of forest. Through the implementation of plans for sustain- able forest management and forest certification in the 2016-2020 period, Viet Nam expects to have at least 500,000ha of forest that are certified to be under sustainable management by 2020. This will include 350,000ha of newly planted forest and 150,000ha of natural forest. Vietnam has also established cri- teria to identify rare and endangered species that need to be protected. This will allow for development of a list of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection, a list of aquatic species and waters restricted for exploitation, and a list of invasive alien species. T he rich biological diversity found in Viet Nam makes it the world’s 16th most biodiverse country. About 16 per cent of all global species exist in Viet Nam, where the topography and climate have given rise to a wide diversity of natural terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. The need to balance development with environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation is reflected in the Sustainable Development Strategy of Viet Nam to 2020. These themes are also present in the National Strategy for Green Growth 2013-2020. The country’s vision to 2050 includes strategies for environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and the strategic development of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism. Chế Cu Nha, Vietnam Doan Tuan on Unsplash Viet Nam