8/12/2019 8:44:00 PM

In the first 6 months of 2019, the Institute of Environmental Science and Development (VESDEC) mainly focused on implementing the environmental tasks of the Japan - France - Vietnam JV in the Feasibility Study (FS) for Long Thanh International Airport Project; independent environmental monitoring for the ADB – JICA Expressway Project; preparation and presentation of lectures for the Training of Trainers (ToT) Programs of the World Bank (WB) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE).

The main results of VESDEC in implementation of projects and assignments from January to June 2019 are brieftly described below.

1. Completion of the Task “Review of Environmental Impact Assessment for Longthanh International Airport Project in FS Stage”

Longthanh International Airport with an area of 5,000 ha and invest cost of over USD 6,0 billion is the most expensive project in Vietnam. Therefore, the Project should be reviewed and decided by the Vietnam National Assembly. The JV of Japan - France - Vietnam let by Japan Airport Consultants (JAC) has won in the bidding for FS for this Project. VESDEC is a member of the JV, responsible for reviewing the EIA report prepared in 2013 for the Pre - FS Stage with the following activities completed:

(i) Collected and studied the new Vietnam legal regulations in environmental protection, particularly in environmental impact assessment, monitoring and management.

(ii) Collected and updated data on the natural environment (climate, hydrology, landscape, environmental quality) and socio-economic conditions (population, economy, culture, health care, infrastructural facilities: roads, latest traffic forecast; water supply, electricity supply, communication systems; waste management; socio-economic development plans of Dongnai province; Longthanh district and project communes.

(iii) Carried out field surveys to identify the current situations and change of:

-   Population and living conditions at the project communes;

-  Land use at the project communes;

- Infrastructural facilities: roads, water supply, electricity supply, communication systems; waste management at the project communes;

-   Sensitive facilities to environmental impacts: religious sites, cultural and health care facilities;

-   Current natural habitats, flora and fauna.

(iv) Basing on the update data, information of the current environmental and social conditions collected from governmental agencies and from field surveys and applying the new Vietnam Guidelines VESDEC has revised the EIA Report, prepared for the Pre- FS and incorporated into the FS Report.

In 2018 seven thematic reports have been prepared. In March 2019, VESDEC completed Chapter 8 (EIA Review) in FS Report. The FS report studied by the Japan-France-Vietnam JV has been submitted to the Ministry of Transport, which will be submitted to the Government in July 2019.

The  “Benluc - Longthanh Expressway Project” funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with a cost of almost of USD 1.7 billion is the most expensive road transport project in Vietnam.  This includes construction of 58.5 km of 4 lane road and construction of 2 very large bridges and a number of small bridges. VESDEC was selected by ADB and Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) to be an Independent (External) Environmental Monitoring Consultant (IEMC) in a duration of 5 years (2015 - 2019). Each year VESDEC mobilizes one international environmentalist, three national environmentalists and some supporting staffs for this assignment.
From April to June 2019 VESDEC specialists have conducted the fifth mobilization of independent environmental monitoring, included reviewing and giving commnents on over 100 environmental reports, prepared by the Southern Expressway Management Unit (SEPMU), Construction Supervision Consultants (CSCs) and the Contractors; carrying out field surveys at 9 construction packages financed by ADB and JICA and organizing various public consultation meetings  to assess the compliance of them with the ADB requirements in the environmental management plan (EMP), revised in 2017 and Vietnamese Environmental Guidelines.

The Alignment of Benluc- Longthanh Expressway

From the data and information obtained the IEMC Team has prepared an annual independent environmental monitoring report for 2019 with clear and  objective evaluation of the compliance of the SEPMU, CSCs and Contractors. The reports (English and Vietnamese, over 500 pages/each) were submited to ADB and they were disclosed by ADB                    

Thus, in the recent 20 years VESDEC specialists have properly implemented EIAs and environmental monitoring for almost all airport projects in Vietnam: Longthanh International Airport (Pre - FS for JAC/JICA/ACV); Tansonnhat International Airport (JICA Project), T2 International Terminal at Noibai International Airport (JICA Project), Danang New International Terminal and  airport projects of Vinh, Phuyen, Buon Mathuot, Dalat, Pley Ku, Cantho, Condao, Camau, Phuquoc,…; 7 expressways (Bienhoa – Vungtau, Dongha - Quangngai, Trungluong – Mythuan, Cantho – Camau, HCMC West – East Highway,  Benluc - Longthanh, Hanoi – Langson, HCM RR3) and 4 deep sea ports,…Therefore, VESDEC is a leading consulting firm in EIA and monitoring for transport infrastructural development.
 
3. Preparation of Lectures and Implementation of the WB Training of Trainer (ToT) Program on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE)

Objectives
(i) Train a cadre of 24 potential trainers in the principles and conduct of ESIA applying World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) policy and guidance.
(ii)  Based on performance in the course, select a target group of trainers from the ToT to conduct training in Vietnamese, initially in collaboration with expert ADB and WB staff or consultants, for Project management units, consultants and others to conduct and implement ESIA.
(iii) Continue to train the selected target group through mentoring, experience on-the-ground with donor projects and additional follow-on training with the result that they will be competent to train the target audiences, without supervision by donor staff.
Format
The ToT incorporates 7 days of learning with emphasis on participants playing an active role to demonstrate not only knowledge of ESIA but their ability to communicate effectively and teach adult learners.
Methodology
The training involves participatory learning and application-oriented approaches. A combination of training methods, which include lectures, group discussion and presentation, cases/case study analysis, and field visits, will be applied to this training program.
Certification
Certificate of course completion will be awarded by the MONRE’ Institute for Natural Resource and Environmental Training (InNET) to those participants who attend at least 90% of the course duration and actively engage in all training activities.
Date & time: May 6 – 11th, 2019; 8.30-17:15.
Venue:  InNET, Hanoi
Organizer: WB in cooperation with InNET
Key Lecturer/Facilitator: Le Trinh (VESDEC); Support Facilitator: Dinh Thuy Hang (Maritime University)
Participants: 
Environmental lecturers of various universities in Hanoi, Thainguyen, Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh, Hue, Danang and Cantho; environmental experts in ministries, environmental and social consultants.
Program:
The ESIA ToT program includes 16 modules, many excercies and field visit:
Module 1: Why conduct ESIAs?
Module 2: Donor/International ESIA requirements
Module 3: Changes in ESIA requirements in Vietnam
Module 4: Screening and scoping
Module 5: Impact analysis
Module 6: Environmental health and safety guidelines (EHSG)
Module 7: Biodiversity impact assessment
Module 8: Pest management
Module 9: Physical cultural resources impact assessment
Module10:  Social impacts
Module 11: Evaluating impact significance
Module 12: Cumulative impact assessments
Module 13: Impact mitigation
Module 14: Public involvement, consultation and disclosure in ESIA
Module 15: Managing the ESIA process
Field trip

Purposes:
(i)  Provision of international contexts of SEA and methodology in SEA analysis and lessons learned from international and Vietnam SEA practice
(ii)  Provision of Vietnam guidelines in SEA; experiences in SEA implementation in Vietnam and lessons learned.
(iii) After the program the participants (trainers and/or consultants) may improve their knowledge and experiences in SEA teaching and practice.
Format
The ToT incorporates 4 days of learning with emphasis on participants playing an active role to demonstrate not only knowledge of SEA but their ability to communicate effectively and teach adult learners.
Methodology
The training involves participatory learning and application-oriented approaches. A combination of training methods, which include lectures, group discussion and presentation, cases/case study analysis will be applied to this training program.
Certification
Certificate of course completion will be awarded by the MONRE’ Institute for Natural Resource and Environmental Training (InNET) to those participants who attend at least 90% of the course duration and actively engage in all training activities.
Date & time: June 3 - 6th , 2019; 8.30-17:15.
Venue:  InNET, Hanoi
Organizer: The World Bank (WB) cooperates with InNET
Key Lecturers/Facilitators: Jiri Dusik (Integracons), Le Trinh (VESDEC)
Participants: 
Environmental lecturers of various universities in Hanoi, Thainguyen, Ho Chi Minh City and Cantho; environmental experts in ministries, environmental and social consultants.
Program:
The SEA ToT program includes 10 modules and many excercies:
Module 1: Introduction to SEA
Module 2: Development of SEA in Vietnam
Module 3: What are the usual steps in the SEA process?
Module 4: SEA methodology: Assessment methods: Pros and Cons
Module 5: Guidelines to use analysis methods in SEA process
Module 6: Key lessons learned with integration of SEA into development planning decisions
Module 7: How to implement the Vietnam SEA requirements: Practical experiences
Module 8: Stakeholder participation
Module 9: Planning, resourcing and managing SEA; evaluation of SEA quality 
Module 10 : Good practice in SEA: International and Vietnam experiences:
-  SEA for the Socio-Economic Master Plan of the Focal Central Economic Zone of Vietnam
-  SEA for the Socio-Economic Master Plan of Tonkin Gulf Belt Economic Zone of Vietnam
-  SEA for  the Electricity Development Plan VII of Vietnam
-  SEA for  the Solid Waste Planning of Montenegro Republic
-  SEA for  the Energy Development Policy of Czech Republic
-  SEA for the Master Plan of Daili City. 

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