by Thuong Huyen

(Comunist Party of Viet Nam online Newspaper)

Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE) was founded in 1988 according to Decision No. 299/CT of Chairman of Minister Council. For the past 20 years, especially in the 5-year Tenure IV (2003-2008), the Association has overcome many difficulties and contributed to environmental protection and sustainable development in Vietnam. The total number of VACNE’s members and its subordinate units has increased to 125 organizations and associations, 2 times as many as compared with that of previous tenure. The Association also has improved many of its operating methods.

VACNE has done the best to carry out programs of consultancy, social opponent critics, supervision, and actively participated in environmental assessment for national socio-economic projects of energy, waste treatment and development of industrial zones. All the members actively participated in building strategies for environmental protection, laws on environmental conservation and bio-diversity, etc. The Association has taken initiative to carry out social opponent critics of “hot” environmental issues such as project of “Tam Dao 2”, import of wasted materials and obsolete boats, conservation of bio-diversity in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, Vedan’s case … 

Additionally, VACNE paid attention to the tasks of education and propaganda to help communities improve their awareness. The Association also held various seminars and projects with subjects that will facilitate environmental socialization, offering solutions to global climate change, participating in environmental protection for communities, investigating and summing up the implementation of environmental protection, setting up models of sustainable development in Vietnam … The Association already released a website with an increasing number of readers online, and published some magazines and news-letters, such as Environment and Health, Economy- Environment, Green Path, Journalists and Environment Bulletin… 

The Association edited and published approximately 9,000 documents about advanced patterns of environmental protection for the communities all over the country; organized annual  galleries about environment issues that made strong impression on and attracted thousands of visitors. VACNE also arranged national contests about using and protecting water sources, held international exhibitions and fairs about environment, and awarded a “Golden Cup of  Environment Conservation” for the elected.

 The Association founded the C4E club (Cycling for Environment) to propagandize regularly about environmental issues, showing local people how to protect their living environment, launching a campaign of communications after a flood happening in Hanoi last October.

Especially, VACNE is now operating voluntarily without subsidies from the government. Therefore, VACNE has to balance all its income and expenditure to carry out its activities.

Mr. Ho Uy Liem, Chairman of Union of Vietnam Scientific and Technical Associations said that VACNE is one of the most effective associations in the Union.

Speaking at the celebration, Mr. Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha praised VACNE for its recent achievements and contributions to the industry of environmental conservation. He promised to pay more attention to VACNE’s activities, give more investment so that the Association will be able to operate more effectively and make better contribution to the cause of environmental conservation in our country. In Tenure V, the Association determined to hold many activities connecting to some great events, such as 1,000 years of Thang Long - Hanoi, 40 years of Stockholm Conference, 20 years of Law on Environment Conservation; finding the solutions to popularize environmental information; mobilizing young volunteers to conserve the environment; implementing suitable environment communications; fulfilling the tasks of consultancy and social opponent critics; carrying out various projects of environment; launching an emulation campaign; offering commendation and reward; coordinating domestic and international activities … 

At the Congress, 92 people were elected as members of Tenure V’s executive board. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh was re-elected as the Chairman of VACNE. 22 subordinate units of VACNE were also rewarded certificates of merit for their excellent achievements during Tenure IV.