10:02, 25/02/2021

Green urban development

The urban development program in Khanh Hoa Province till 2020 and vision till 2030 with green urban development goals and climate change mitigation integrated into the planning has gained significant achievements...
 

The urban development program in Khanh Hoa Province till 2020 and vision till 2030 with green urban development goals and climate change mitigation integrated into the planning has gained significant achievements.
 
Basic environmental criteria met
 
The urban development program till 2020 and vision till 2030 approved in December 2016 by Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee has achieved satisfactory results. According to Khanh Hoa Department of Natural Resources & Environment, till 2020, urban wastewater collection and treatment reached 12.5%; 100% of newly formed waste water treatment plants met environment standards, none causing serious environmental pollution; solid waste collection and treatment reached 90% of the total solid waste discharged from urban daily life activities; 100% of hazardous industrial and medical solid waste was properly collected and treated meeting environmental standards.
 
In Nha Trang City, 100% of main streets and 93.1% of lanes were lighted. The outdoor lighting covered 80% or more in remaining urban areas. Public green space reached 15m²/ person in urban areas and 4.5m²/ person in inner cities and towns. The establishment of new urban areas together with environment sanitation and climate change mitigation projects has contributed to improving appearance, sanitation and environmental quality towards a green, clean and beautiful life.
 
 

 

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A corner of Nha Trang City from above.

 

Green urban growth
 
The Provincial People's Committee has assigned specific responsibilities to departments, sectors, organizations, People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to implement environmental protection programs, projects and plans, contributing to climate change mitigation such as limiting investment licensing for projects with much energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; controlling solid waste and hazardous waste; encouraging clean development mechanism; encouraging investment in clean energy development, mangrove forest regeneration and biodiversity conservation, etc.
 
In addition, based on Circular No. 01 in 2015 regulating urban green growth criteria issued by the Ministry of Construction, the Provincial Khanh Hoa People’s Committee has directed the People’s Committees of districts, towns and cities to make annual reports on urban green growth as a basis for the implementation of activities mentioned above as regulated. 
 
Reviewing and adjusting urban planning and building urban development programs, the Provincial People's Committee has directed relevant units to assess the situation of current urban development towards green growth to integrate urban green growth goals in the future; organize propaganda and engage people in keeping urban areas green, clean and beautiful together with meeting green growth goals in urban areas.
 
Moreover, the Provincial People’s Committee has given priority to the general development planning for smart urban areas and development of urban smart conveniences in Nha Trang City to maximize services with social, economic and environmental benefits for citizens as well as businesses.
 
However, the urban development program till 2020 met some obstacles related to some infrastructure projects unfinished, failing behind schedule due to low deposit ratio (approximately VND73,618/144,964 billion); technical and social infrastructure systems, though in significant progress, still not meeting urbanization speed; asynchronous infrastructures between urban and rural areas, affecting competitiveness and economic development of the whole province.
 
In a recent document sent to the Urban Development Agency (the Ministry of Construction), the provincial People’s Committee has suggested the Government and central agencies would allocate and provide funding for the province to implement framework infrastructure projects in approved lists attached to the urban development program to provide a driving force for the development of satellite urban areas in Khanh Hoa Province; provide guidance on funding as a basis to mobilize and take advantage of capital sources in the planning work in order to speed up the provincial planning coverage while the provincial budget is still limited.
 
Thai Thinh
Translated by N.T