To create a forum for exchanging ideas, evaluating achievements, and addressing challenges in the enforcement of the Environmental Protection Law over the past 30 years, and to propose recommendations and solutions to enhance the effectiveness of its enforcement in the future, on the morning of December 28, 2023, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law organized a university-level scientific conference with the theme "30 years of enforcing the Environmental Protection Law" at meeting room A.1002, Nguyen Tat Thanh campus, and also livestreamed it via the Zoom Webinar platform.
The University-level scientific conference "30 Years of Implementing the Environmental Protection Law" was held in person at Conference Hall A.1002 and online via Zoom.
The conference attracted the interest of many experts, researchers, and practitioners related to the field of environmental law.
At the conference, there were various distinguished guests including PGS.TS. Vu Thanh Ca - Former Deputy Head of the International Cooperation and Science and Technology Department, Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands; ThS. Nguyen Thi - Legal Affairs Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai - Head of the Legal Affairs Committee, Provincial People's Council of Binh Duong Province; PGS.TS Pham Huu Nghi - Former Editor-in-chief of the Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Former Senior Research Fellow of the Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology; PGS.TS Phan Trung Hien - Head of the Law Faculty, Can Tho University; PGS, TS. Doan Hong Nhung - Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Hanoi National University; TS. Nguyen Thi Hoa Tam - Deputy Director of Campus 2, University of Social Sciences and Humanities; TS, GVC. Bui Kim Hieu - Head of the Law Faculty, University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology, Ho Chi Minh City; TS, GVC. Nguyen Ngoc Anh Dao - Deputy Head of the Department of Economic Law, Banking Law, and Tax Law, University of Banking, Ho Chi Minh City; TS. Ninh Thi Hien - Notary Office of Ninh Thi Hien, Ho Chi Minh City, along with esteemed experts and lecturers from various agencies, units, and other universities in Ho Chi Minh City.
Representing the university, there was the presence of TS. Le Truong Son - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Rector of the University; TS. Le Thi Thuy Huong - Head of the Research and International Cooperation Office; PGS.TS. Ha Thi Thanh Binh - Head of the Commercial Law Faculty; PGS.TS. Tran Viet Dung - Head of the International Law Faculty; TS. Nguyen Thanh Hai - Deputy Head of the Basic Sciences Department; PGS.TS. Nguyen Van Van - Former Head of the Commercial Law Faculty; TS. Pham Van Vo - Former Deputy Head of the Commercial Law Faculty; TS. Vo Trung Tin - Head of the Land Law and Environment Department; TS. Phan Thi Thanh Duong - Head of the Finance - Banking - Tax Department, Faculty of Commercial Law; PGS.TS. Luu Quoc Thai - Lecturer at the Faculty of Commercial Law, along with esteemed lecturers, postgraduate students, and students of the university.
From the media sector, representatives from newspapers and news agencies such as the Phap Luat TP. HCM Newspaper; Tuoi Tre Newspaper; Nhan Dan Newspaper; Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper; and the Ho Chi Minh City Information Portal were present.
In his opening speech, TS. Le Truong Son - University Rector affirmed that economic development and environmental protection are intertwined tasks that the state pays great attention to, serving as guiding principles for sustainable development of society. Over the past 30 years of establishment, promulgation, amendment, and enforcement, the Environmental Protection Law has timely contributed to improving the institutional framework and policies of the Party and State towards environmental protection, creating a consistent legal corridor, and contributing to promoting sustainable development. Now is the opportune time to acknowledge and evaluate the achievements and challenges in the implementation process, in order to propose solutions to enhance the effectiveness of enforcing the Environmental Protection Law in the coming time, emphasized Dr. Le Truong Son.
Dr. Le Truong Son – Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Rector of the University, delivered the opening speech at the conference.
Chair of the first session of the conference.
In the first working session of the seminar, the topics presented include:
"On the scope of adjustments of environmental protection laws from 1993 to present" by Associate Professor Pham Huu Nghi from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. This presentation focuses on expanding the scope of adjustments of environmental protection laws to meet the requirements of addressing environmental issues in Vietnam and globally. However, expanding this scope also means encountering more difficulties in law enforcement. Therefore, the state needs to implement appropriate development policies and enhance the implementation of necessary measures to protect the environment effectively.
"Ensuring the implementation of the 'sustainable development principle' in Vietnam's environmental law" presented by Associate Professor Luu Quoc Thai. This paper focuses on ensuring the implementation of the sustainable development principle in Vietnam's environmental law, an important factor in ensuring environmental protection and sustainable development.
"Enforcing regulations to ensure the human right to live in a clean environment according to environmental protection laws" is the topic presented by the group of authors ThS. Ly Thanh Nhan and Nguyen Phuong Dong. This presentation focuses on discussing the enforcement of regulations to ensure the human right to live in a clean environment according to environmental protection laws.
The discussions in this working session aim to evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and laws in the field of environmental protection and propose solutions to enhance the effectiveness of enforcement and implementation of the sustainable development principle.
Associate Professor Dr. Pham Huu Nghi – Former Editor-in-Chief of the State and Law Journal, Former Senior Researcher at the Institute of State and Law, Lecturer at the University of Danang – Ho Chi Minh City, presented the paper "On the Scope of Environmental Protection Laws from 1993 to Present."
Regarding the topic "Ensuring the implementation of the principle of sustainable development in Vietnam's environmental law," Associate Professor Luu Quoc Thai (from Ho Chi Minh City University of Law) emphasized the importance of sustainable development amidst the current alarming situation of environmental pollution and degradation. The presentation outlined the foundation of the concept of sustainable development and its inherent meaning, analyzed and evaluated the status quo of the principle of sustainable development in Vietnam's environmental law, and proposed some recommendations for improvement in the future.
Associate Professor Dr. Luu Quoc Thai – Lecturer at the Faculty of Commercial Law, University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City, presented the paper "Ensuring the Implementation of the 'Sustainable Development Principle' in Vietnam’s Environmental Law."
In the topic "Enforcement of provisions ensuring the right of individuals to live in a clean environment according to environmental protection laws," Master Ly Thanh Nhan (from Ho Chi Minh City University of Law) clarified two types of tools, including: tools to identify a clean or polluted environment and tools to enforce human rights. Based on theoretical foundations and practical analysis, the authors recommended expanding the scope of regulations to enable individuals to exercise their rights more effectively and improving the national environmental information system and database to make it more accessible to the public.
Master Ly Thanh Nhan – Lecturer at the Faculty of Commercial Law, University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City, presented the paper "Enforcing the Provision Ensuring the Human Right to Live in a Clean Environment According to Environmental Protection Law."
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai – Head of the Legal Committee, Provincial People's Council of Binh Duong, contributed comments during the discussion session.
The seminar continued to be lively in the second working session with the following presentations:
"Building a social recycling model towards circular economic development according to Japanese law and experiences for Vietnam" - presented by Master Tran Thi Truc Minh, Phan Thanh Tuyen, Pham Cao Tiep;
"Environmental laws on solid waste in enterprises" - presented by Dr. Le Minh Thai;
"Legal framework for the carbon market in Vietnam - Current situation and some recommendations for improvement" - presented by Dr. Vo Trung Tin, Le Duy Khang.
Chair of the second session of the conference.
The second session began with the topic "Building a social recycling model towards circular economic development based on Japanese law and experiences for Vietnam," presented by Phan Thanh Tuyen representing the group of authors from the University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City. The authors clarified the theoretical and legal basis of the social recycling model oriented towards circular economic development in Japan, the development process of Vietnamese legal regulations on recycling activities towards circular economy, and assessed the current situation of Vietnamese legal regulations on recycling activities towards circular economy. Subsequently, they proposed some recommendations for improvement.
Mrs. Phan Thanh Tuyen, VNG Corporation, presented the paper "Building a Recycling Society Model Towards Circular Economy Development Under Japanese Law and Lessons for Vietnam."
In the presentation "Legal regulations on environmental issues regarding solid waste in enterprises," TS. Le Minh Thai (University of Van Lang) assessed the current implementation status of environmental laws regarding the collection, transportation, and treatment of solid waste, as well as the practical enforcement in enterprises lacking consistency and uniformity in their operations. Consequently, TS. Le Minh Thai proposed several recommendations to enhance the awareness of enterprises, contributing to environmental protection in the context of industrialization and modernization.
Dr. Le Minh Thai – Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Van Lang University, presented the paper "Environmental Law on Solid Waste in Enterprises."
At the conclusion of the second session, Mr. Le Duy Khang, a lawyer from Tín và Tâm Law Firm, representing the group of authors including TS. Võ Trung Tín, Head of the Department of Land Law and Environment at the Faculty of Commercial Law, University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City, presented the paper "Legal framework for the carbon market in Vietnam - Current situation and some recommendations for improvement." Through this presentation, the author group provided an overview of the carbon market's activities, clarified Vietnam's policies and laws regarding the carbon market over the past 30 years of implementing the Environmental Protection Law in different periods: before 2012, from 2012 to 2020, and from 2020 to the present. They also explained the content of Vietnam's legal framework for the carbon market, identified limitations in the legal framework of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in Vietnam, and consequently proposed some recommendations for improvement.
Mr. Le Duy Khang – Lawyer, Tín and Tâm Law Firm, presented the paper "The Legal Framework for Vietnam's Carbon Market – Current Situation and Some Recommendations for Improvement."
The discussion between the sessions of the workshop was vibrant with many contributions, sharing, and proposals for solutions from scholars, researchers, and interested individuals participating either in person or online.
In her closing remarks, Associate Professor Dr. Hà Thị Thanh Bình (Head of Department, Faculty of Commercial Law, University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City) acknowledged that after more than four hours with six presentations, the workshop lasted longer than planned due to the lively exchanges and debates among participants. This demonstrates that the topic and content of the workshop attracted significant social interest. The workshop was highly successful and of great significance, contributing important legal theoretical foundations and solutions to enhance Vietnam's environmental legal system. It helped improve the knowledge and understanding of researchers, experts, and individuals concerned about environmental protection issues. Moreover, the workshop also contributed to raising awareness about environmental protection issues, shaping attitudes, lifestyles, and environmental protection consciousness, preserving a healthy environment for ourselves and future generations.
After many hours of work, the workshop has achieved its organizing objectives and recognized valuable contributions to the construction and enforcement of environmental protection regulations in Vietnam. The contents and opinions presented at the workshop will be further summarized and sent to relevant regulatory bodies to improve the Environmental Protection Law, contributing to improving the quality of the environment and ensuring the sustainable development of Vietnam.
The "30 Years of Implementing the Environmental Protection Law" conference recorded many in-depth perspectives and opinions related to issues concerning the Environmental Protection Law.
Content: Quỳnh Như, Thiên Bảo
Images: Nhật Nam, Phương Thảo
Ulaw Media Team