Workshop “Management and construction of green urban infrastructure towards sustainable development” jointly held by the Ministry of Construction, HealthBridge and German Development Cooperation (GIZ) on November 25 in Da Nang.
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Mai Thi Lien Huong delivered the opening speech
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Mai Thi Lien Huong – Director of the Department of Technical Infrastructure (Ministry of Construction) delivered the opening speech: The process of urbanization has been taking place rapidly in Vietnam. As of October 2022, the whole country has 888 urban centers (including 2 special grade urban centers, 22 urban centers of grade I, 33 urban centers of grade II, 47 urban centers of grade III, 94 urban centers of grade IV and urban centers of grade V), the urbanization rate is estimated at 41%; confirming its role as a driving force for economic development, as a nucleus to promote economic and labor structural transformation in each locality, each region and the whole country.
However, the challenges of urbanization and climate change are strongly affecting the environment, people’s quality of life and sustainable urban development. Facing that situation, the management, construction and development of green, safe and sustainable urban infrastructure should be concerned by all levels of government from central to local levels. This is the trend of sustainable urban development of Vietnam and the world.
According to Assoc.Prof.Dr. Mai Thi Lien Huong, the concept of “green infrastructure” is relatively new in urban management, both in Vietnam and in many developing countries around the world. Green infrastructure is a network of “green” elements that are preserved, enhanced or established to solve the problems of urbanization based on the approach of “building eco-friendly infrastructure” environment, in harmony with nature. Key components of this approach include storm water and wastewater management adapting to climate change, sea level rise; improve the quality of air, clean water, smart transportation, and social infrastructure functions such as increasing the quality of life by providing green space for recreational activities, resting, providing shade and creating urban landscape features…
From a management perspective, the Vietnamese Government has gradually approached and paid attention to the issues of green and sustainable urban infrastructure development through the integration into legal documents such as the Law on Urban Planning, the Law on Construction, the Law on Environmental Protection… and the system of regulations and standards on urban planning, construction, and technical infrastructure.
The whole workshop
In addition, Vietnam also actively participates in the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change in order to proactively and cooperatively implement the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. In order to specifically implement these contents, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1658/QD-TTg approving the National Strategy on Green Growth in the 2021 – 2030 periods, with a vision to 2050, which identifies developing green and sustainable infrastructure is a strategic orientation, assigning the Ministry of Construction to develop a green and smart urban technical infrastructure system…
This seminar has practical significance, is an opportunity for the Ministry of Construction to listen, exchange and absorb ideas from the participants. On that basis, research and advise the competent authorities to continually improve institutions and policies for the development of green urban infrastructure in Vietnam.