Vietnam environment monitor 2002

September 2002

The National Environment Agency, The World Bank and The Danish Agency for International Development (DANIDA) contributed to the preparation

of this document. The World Bank task team consisted of Messrs./Mmes. Anjali Acharya, Patchamuthu Illangovan (Team Leader), Tran Thi Thanh

Phuong and Anthony J. Whitten. NEA was represented by Messrs./Mmes. Truong Manh Tien (General-Director), Ho Van (Director of Monitoring

Division), Hua Chien Thang (Deputy Director of Monitoring Division), and Tran Thi Le Anh (Monitoring Division). Mr. John Carstensen represented

DANIDA. Consultants who assisted the Monitor team in providing environmental data and information included Nguyen Hoang Yen, Vu Thu Hanh,

Nguyen Hong Thao, Nguyen Minh Son, Mai Ky Vinh, Nguyen Chu Hoi, Vu Xuan Nguyet Hong, Vu Van Tuan and Nat Pinnoi. Contributions and comments

from Phan Thu Huong (MPI/DEA) and Zafer Ecevit , Chris Shaw and Ron Zweig (World Bank) are gratefully acknowledged.The document was peer

reviewed by Todd M. Johnson of the Environment Department, World Bank and Dr. Nguyen Cong Thanh of Asian Institute Technology Center Vietnam

(AITCV). Le Thanh Huong Giang provided logistics support. Ms Yok Dechamorn and Mr. Sorachai Nanthawatcharaviboon assisted in the layout and

cover design. Jeffrey Lecksell was responsible for map design. Ms. Sirinun Maitriwatana coordinated the production of this document.

The support and encouragement given by Mr. Andrew D. Steer, Country Director - Vietnam (until September 13,2002) is gratefully acknowledged.

The views expressed in the Vietnam Environment Monitor are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the World

Bank Group, its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. The material contained herein has been obtained from sources believed reliable

but it is not necessarily complete and cannot be fully guaranteed.

CON_CT_OE_NN_TET_NTS_S

Table of Contents

Preface.............................................................................................................1

Abbreviations and Acronyms...........................................................................2

Environmental Scorecard: Trends and Indicators in Vietnam.........................3

Environmental Hotspots (map).......................................................................4

Executive Summary........................................................................................ 5

Green Agenda...........................................................................................7-14

Land.................................................................................................................7

Forests.............................................................................................................9

Biodiversity and Protected Areas...................................................................11

Policy Responses............................................................................................14

Blue Agenda............................................................................................15-19

Water Resources............................................................................................ 15

Coastal and Marine Resources..................................................................... 17

Policy Responses.......................................................................................... 19

Brown Agenda.........................................................................................20-29

Water Pollution............................................................................................ 20

Air Pollution................................................................................................ 23

Solid and Hazardous Waste.......................................................................... 26

Policy Responses.......................................................................................... 28

Global Agenda........................................................................................ 29-30

Policy Responses........................................................................................... 29

Environmental Management..................................................................31-36

Key Institutions............................................................................................. 31

Institutional Capacity................................................................................... 33

Key Legislation............................................................................................. 34

Expenditures................................................................................................. 35

The Challenges............................................................................................ 37

Glossary of Environmental Terms.................................................................39

Acknowledgements........................................................................................42

Vietnam-at-a-Glance.....................................................................................43

PRPREEFFAACECE

The Government of Vietnam's 10 year National Environmental Protection Strategy (NSEP) recognizes that there is a rapid

deterioration in environmental quality and natural resources. In the last 5 decades, natural forest cover has shrunk from 43 to

29 percent of land area, and the country is facing an acute shortage of arable land. Habitat loss has led to a rise in the number

of threatened species. High rates of rural under-employment, also linked to land shortages, and an emphasis on industrializa-

tion, have contributed to migration to cities. Burgeoning urban populations are over-whelming municipal infrastructure and

services and causing environmental problems such as unmanaged landfills, transport-related air pollution, untreated hospital

and hazardous waste, and raw sewage flowing in open channels. Sedimentation, and point and non-point sources of pollution

are threatening the health of rivers. Over-fishing and destruction of coral reefs and mangroves have reduced the fishing yield.

Over the last decade, Vietnam has put into place several environmental laws, decrees and ordinances addressing environmental

protection, regulations. The challenge before the country now lies in the implementation of these laws and the formulation of

sound environmental policies, for which accurate and reliable environmental data and information is critical.

Environmental data in Vietnam is collected by a variety of sources including government departments and agencies, academia

and NGOs. Since 1994, the National EnvironmentAgency has published State of the Environment reports based on monitoring

data collected by the National Monitoring Network and DOSTEs. However, information sharing among organizations and

access to information by the public is a major constraint to building a strong knowledge base for environmental management

in the country.

There is an immediate need for systematic and coherent analysis of environmental data. The Vietnam Environment Monitor

2002 is a modest first step to address this gap by presenting a snapshot of key environmental trends in the country. Its

purpose is to engage and inform stakeholders of key envi-ronmental changes as they occur, in an easy-to-understand format.

Using charts and graphs, the Monitor benchmarks trends in various environmental indicators associated with green, blue and

brown issues. Environmental changes, however, occur over a period of time, and therefore, unlike economic indicators,

annual variations are not easy to measure or assess. Thus, the series is designed to track changes in general environmental

trends every 5 years. In the intervening years, the Monitor will focus on specific themes, to highlight critical and emerging

problems.

This Monitor consists of six sections. The first four sections describe environmental trends under the Green, Blue, Brown and

Global agendas. An analysis of the institutions, legislation and budget is presented in a fifth section; and the Monitor concludes

with an assessment of major challenges faced by Vietnam.

The Vietnam Environment Monitor 2002 is the outcome of a joint exercise involving national agencies, academia, civil society,

and researchers. The information contained in this Monitor has been compiled from a variety of sources including published

reports of various government agencies, universities, and nongovernmental organizations, and documents of the World Bank

and bilateral donor agencies.

The National Environment Agency served as the lead government agency in the preparation of the Monitor, and provided data

and coordinated the cooperation among government agencies. The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)

supported the data collection, while the World Bank staff were responsible for data validation, analysis and writing of the

report.

Dr. Pham Khoi Nguyen

Vice Minister

Zafer Ecevit

Sector Director,

Klaus Rohland

Country Director - Vietnam,

East Asia and Pacific Region,

The World Bank

Barne H. Soresen

Ambassador for Denmark in Vietnam

Minister of Science, Technology and

Environment

Environment and Social Development Unit

East Asia and Pacific Region,

The World Bank



ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS

ABBREVIATIONS & A

ADB

BAP

BOD

DLA

Asian Development Bank

Biodiversity Action Plan

Biochemical Oxygen Demand

General Department of Land Adminis

tration

MoI

MoPH

MoSTE

Ministry of Industry

Ministry of Public Health

Ministry of Science, Technology and

Environment

MoT

Ministry of Transport

DO

DoSTE

Dissolved Oxygen

Department of Science, Technology

and Environment

Exclusive Economic Zone

Environment Impact Assessment

Environmental Protection Agency

Forest Inventory and Planning Institute

Forest Protection Department

General Department of Land Adminis-

tration

General Department of Meteorology

and Hydrology

Gross Domestic Product

General Statistical Office

Ho Chi Minh City

Integrated Pest Management

Law on Water Resources

million hectares

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Devel-

opment

MPA

MPI

MRC

NCNST

Marine Protected Areas

Ministry of Planning and Investment

Mekong River Commission

National Center for Natural Sciences

and Technology

EEZ

EIA

EPA

FIPI

FPD

GDLA

NCSASR

National Committee for Search and

Rescue

NEA

NGO

NMN

ODA

ODS

SoE

SFE

SWM

TSP

UNEP

VND

WB

WSC

WHO

National Environment Agency

Non-governmental Organization

National Monitoring Network

Official Development Assistance

Ozone Depleting Substances

State-owned Enterprises

State Forest Enterprise

Solid Waste Management

Total Suspended Particulates

United Nations Environment Program

Vietnamese Dong

GDMH

GDP

GSO

HCMC

IPM

LWR

mha

MARD

World Bank

Water Supply Companies

World Health Organization

MoC

MoF

Ministry of Construction

Ministry of Fisheries

1US Dollar = 15,300 Vietnam Dong (Sept 1, 2002)



MEENNVITROANLMESNCTAOL SRCEORCECAARRDD

This scorecard represents an attempt to benchmark key environmental indicators. The selection of indicators was predicated on

the availability of credible data, and also includes indicators for environmental sustainability identified under the Millennium

Development Goals. The indicators selected here represent both production/consumption and deterioration/quality factors. This

scorecard will be the basis to record future improvements or declines in environmental quality.

GREEN AGENDA: This is a term commonly used to describe environmental impacts caused by agriculture, deforestation, land

conversion and destruction of protected species and related protection measures.

BLUE AGENDA: This term is commonly used to refer to all forms of water resources management.

BROWN AGENDA: This is a term commonly used to describe the pollution caused by industrial, urban, transport and energy

sources and their single or collective impacts and protection measures.



ENVIRONMENTAL HOTSPOTS

ENVIRONMENTAL HO



UTEXIEVCUETIVSEUSUMMMMAARYRY

Green Agenda. Vietnam has a total land area of about 33

million hectares (mha), of which 25 mha comprises

mountainous and hilly regions. Land degradation in Viet-

nam is caused by urbanization, insecure land tenure, poor

logging practices, drought, salinization and acidification.

Steep slopes and deforested landscapes, especially in the

highlands and northwest regions, are very susceptible to

soil erosion during heavy rains. Salinization and acidifica-

tion are more severe in the Mekong delta region. The use of

agrochemical inputs –chemical fertilizers and pesticides –

are low, but steadily increasing.Pesticide usage has increased

200 percent over the last decade.

Annual rainfall of 1,960 mm, is uneven across Vietnam,

and the dry season results in serious shortage of water in

many areas.

The demand for water continues to escalate. Agricultural

lands –accounting for 90 percent of water use–continue to

expand. The rapid development of industry and the service

sectors are also projected to increase demand for water in

the future. Water supply falls short of demand in urban and

rural areas due to inadequate infrastructure and confusing

jurisdictional responsibilities. In 2000, only 52.5 percent

of Vietnam’s population of 78 million had access to safe

water, and only 24 percent of households had piped water

facilities.

About 19 mha –58 percent of the country’s land area is

classified as forest land. Of this, only about 11.3 mha is

actually covered by forests –9.7 mha of natural forests and

1.6 mha of plantations. Despite recent increases in area, the

quality of forests remains a concern.Closed canopy forests

still make up only 13 percent, while poor/regenerating

forests make up 55 percent of total forest area. Plantation

forests, on the other hand, have more than doubled from

0.7 mha in 1990 to 1.6 mha in 2000.

Vietnam’s rich and diverse coastal and marine ecosystems

are also under threat. Over the last five decades, Vietnam

has lost more than 80 percent of its mangrove

forests –with shrimp farming one of the leading causes for

this destruction. About 96 percent of Vietnam’s coral reefs

are severely threatened by human activities, including

destructive fishing methods, over-fishing, and pollution.

Over the last decade, the marine catch has doubled to 1.5

million tons in 2001. However, the overall catch per unit

effort has steadily declined over the same period,

accompanied by a shift to smaller fish catch size.

Aquaculture yields, on the other hand, have increased.

Since 1999, logging operations by State Forest Enterprises

(SFEs) have been curbed –only 130 SFEs are now

permitted to manage natural forests for production

purposes. Timber extraction from illegal logging is estimated

at 0.5-2 million cubic meters annually. Fires –from dry

weather conditions and shifting cultivation practices –are

also destroying large sections of forests.

Brown Agenda. Wastewater and run-off from urban

areas, industrial centers, and agricultural land, pollute

surface, ground, and coastal waters of Vietnam. Untreated

sewage from households, effluents from industrial enter-

prises and seepage from garbage dumps or landfills are the

main causes of organic pollution of surface water. Ninety

percent of the enterprises established prior to 1995 have no

wastewater treatment facilities, and use obsolete equipment.

Vietnam is one of the world’s 10 most biologically diverse

countries –containing about 10 percent of the world’s

species, even while covering less than 1 percent of the earth’s

surface. The high species diversity and endemism is under

threat from habitat losses caused by population growth,

dam and road construction, and agricultural expansion.

Demand both from within Vietnam, and outside, fuels a

major wildlife trade. To protect its biodiversity, Vietnam has

developed a protected areas system –currently comprising

17 national parks, 58 nature reserves, and 18 protected land-

scape areas.

Trends in the country’s 9 river basins indicate good

upstream water quality, while downstream sections are often

polluted. Organic pollution gets worse in the dry season,

when flows in rivers are reduced. Within cities, lakes,

streams, and canals increasingly serve as sinks for domes-

tic sewage and industrial wastes. Groundwater quality is

showing some contamination. Rapid urbanization and

industrialization in the interior, port and marine transport

development, expansion in coastal tourism, and rise in oil

spills contribute to the deterioration of coastal water quality

Blue Agenda. Several rivers traverse through Vietnam,

providing an abundant supply of water (255 bcm annually).

However, inadequate physical infrastructure and financial

capacity results in a low utilization of only 53 bcm per year.



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMM

Air quality in nearly all urban and industrial areas is

affected by particulates, lead and nitrous oxides, sulfur

dioxide and carbon monoxide emitted by sources including

vehicles, factories, power plants, and households. Fine

particulates (PM₁₀) are an emerging problem in urban

areas. Sulfur dioxide emissions near some factories

occasionally exceed the standard by several fold. Lead

levels at major traffic intersections in main cities are start-

ing to decline following the government’s decision to ban

leaded gasoline.

conservation. In all, there are 10 ministries, 15 committees

and general departments, and several local-level agencies,

whose actions influence the environment. These ministries

and agencies are highly segmented with limited cooperation

among them. A preliminary review of staffing of these

ministries and departments indicates inadequate capacity and

over-extended staff.

The budget structure of Vietnam’s public sector expendi-

ture does not allow for exact determination of environmen-

tal spending. A preliminary analysis indicates that core en-

vironmental expenditure hovers just under 1 percent of the

total public spending.

Waste generation is on the rise –ranging from 0.5-0.8 kg/

person/day for large cities and 0.3-0.4 kg/person/ day for

small towns. Household collection efficiencies remain low

(national average of 53.4 percent), while recycling is mod-

est at 13-15 percent. Most of the collected waste in Viet-

nam is disposed in dumps and open landfills, and there is no

separate treatment for hazardous wastes.

Challenges. To achieve the vision formulated in the

National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan

(2001-2010), the country needs to address the four

challenges articulated in the Vietnam Development Report

2000:

Global Agenda. Vietnam is a party to many major inter-

national environmental conventions on transboundary and

global issues, including biodiversity, ozone depletion,

climate change, transportation of hazardous, oil spills and

trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora.

creating incentives for changing behavior

involving communities and citizens more fully

improving institutional effectiveness

diversifying sources of financing for implement

ing priority programs

Environmental Management. Vietnam has put in place

a sound legal framework for environmental protection and

natural resources conservation which include many laws,

regulations, and directives. The national environmental law

was enacted in 1993. The Ministry of Science, Technology

and Environment is responsible for environmental protec-

tion while the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Develop-

ment (MARD) oversees forest management and biodiversity

At the core of tackling these challenges is the quality of

data and their timely analysis, so that policy responses can

be designed cost-effectively with broad consensus.

Improving data collection and storage methods, system-

atizing analysis and enhancing accuracy, sharing informa-

tion, and strengthening capacity would provide Vietnam with

the required tools to better formulate, implement, and

refine its environmental policies.



RE^GE^RN^EENA^AGG^EE^NDN^ADA

Land

Vietnam has a total land area of about 33 million hectares

(mha), of which 25 mha comprises mountainous and hilly

regions. Agricultural land accounts for about 9.3 mha (or

28.4 percent). Great increases in agricultural production

have been achieved in recent years, with Vietnam now the

world’s second largest rice exporter. It is also the fifth most

densely-populated agricultural country (where more than

30 percent of GDP is derived from agriculture) after

Bangladesh, India, Rwanda, and Burundi.

Over the past decade, the area of cultivated land in

Vietnam has steadily increased from 9 mha to almost 12.5

mha This 38 percent increase is mostly attributed to the

expanding cultivation of perennial crops such as coffee,

rubber, and tea. However, cultivated land per capita has

declined over the same period.

Forested land comprised almost 11.3 mha of which

different grades and qualities of natural forests covered just

about 9.7 mha. Residential and other minor categories

accounted for an additional 1.5 mha. About 10 mha (31

percent) of the country’s land –most of this steep slopes –

remains ‘unused’.

Land degradation in Vietnam can be attributed to a

variety of causes including urbanization, insecure land

tenure, poor logging practices, drought, expansion of

aquaculture into areas of acid sulphate prone soils, and

acidification. About 50 percent of Vietnam’s land area has

been identified as having poor quality soils as a result of

human activity.

Soil erosion …Vietnam’s many steep slopes and

deforested landscapes, especially in the highlands and

northwest regions, are very susceptible to soil erosion

during heavy rains. The eroded topsoil is carried away

and deposited as silt in rivers, lakes and estuaries, and the

rich diversity of productivity-enhancing organisms is lost.

Potential soil erosion ranging from 50-3200 ton/ha/year

affects about 23 mha, accounting for some 70 percent of

the country’s land area.

