(VEN) - Vietnam Economic News' Thu Huong and Phuong Lan spoke with Nguyen Huy Hoan, the deputy director of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, who is the head of the office that provides assistance to the Steering Committee for the implementation of the National Strategy on Cleaner Production in Industry (CPI) until 2020.
This strategy has been approved by the Prime Minister via Decision 1419/QD-TTg dated September 7, 2009. The strategy has been implemented for six months with active support of the concerned ministries, departments, localities and the entire society. The awareness of businesses, especially small and medium-sized companies, about cleaner production has improved considerably. The strategy serves as the legal basis for localities nationwide to take part in the CPI Component that has been funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) in the past nearly five years.
Could you say about the strategy's results that have been gained thus far?
As soon as the Prime Minister approved the National Strategy on Cleaner Production until 2020, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) established a steering committee and an office to assist the committee in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the strategy. The ministry has also started with the compilation of a circular providing guidance on the implementation of the strategy. Thus far we have built a background database for some northern provinces. In addition, we have organized a training course in consultancy for local officials. With support of the CPI Component, cleaner production demonstration projects have been carried out at 57 production facilities in five target provinces. Cleaner production approaches are also becoming popular in other localities such as Hai Phong and Tien Giang.
What actions will the Ministry of Industry and Trade focus on in 2010?
This year we will focus on five projects: 1) improving the awareness and capability to apply CPI methods; 2) building and putting into operation a database and a website related to CPI; 3) providing technical assistance to industrial production facilities that apply CPI methods; 4) building a network of CPI support organizations; and 5) putting in place appropriate financial policies to promote the application of CPI methods.
What will the MoIT and the CPI Component do to help localities implement the strategy?
The MoIT and the CPI Component will organize training courses for officials in local Industry and Trade Departments and the Cleaner Production Promotion Centers. The ministry and the component will provide localities with financial and technical assistance to help them make plans to promote the application of cleaner production methods at local industrial production facilities as well as establish cleaner production support organizations. Localities will also be provided with financial assistance to produce leaflets and video clips as well as to organize workshops and training courses related to cleaner production for industrial production facilities. Industry promotion centers will be financially assisted to make assessments on the results of CPI activities.
Every year, the MoIT allows local Industry and Trade Departments and the Industry Promotion Centers to register their cleaner production plans with the Ministry of Finance so that the assistant office of the strategy steering committee can work out financial and technical assistance plans.
What is the strategy's target for 2020?
In the time period from now to 2015, it is projected that 50 percent of industrial production facilities will be made aware of the benefits derived from applying CPI methods; 25 percent of industrial production facilities will apply CPI methods and reduce energy and material consumption by 5-8 percent; 70 percent of Industry and Trade Departments will have cleaner production-specialized officials who are capable to provide instructions in this field.
In the time period from 2016 to 2020, the strategy's target is to make 90 percent of industrial production facilities aware of the benefits that CPI brings in. It is projected that by 2020, 50 percent of industrial production facilities will apply CPI methods and reduce energy and material consumption by 8-13 percent. Ninety percent of medium and large-sized companies are expected to have specialized departments in charge of cleaner production. And also in this period, 90 percent of Industry and Trade Departments are expected to have cleaner production-specialized officials who are capable to provide instructions in this field./.
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