Binh Dinh Provincial People’s Committee and UNDP Viet Nam sign Memorandum of Understanding

Binh Dinh Provincial People’s Committee and UNDP Viet Nam sign Memorandum of Understanding

At the workshop, based on current situations of domestic waste and plastic waste management in the fishery sector in Quy Nhon city and current ocean plastic waste pollution, UNDP Viet Nam proposed a specific project to promote solid waste management and reduce ocean plastic waste pollution in the province. Accordingly, apart from speeding up the implementation of phase 1 of the project "Replicating the model of socialization of domestic waste and plastic management in 5 cities in Viet Nam", implemented by Quy Nhon Women's Union, UNDP proposed Binh Dinh province to deploy a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to enhance classification, increase product value, increase income from the sale of various recycled plastic products; at the same time, increase the participation of the private sector through the new GEF-funded project “Support to implement the action plan for ocean plastic waste management in the context of post COVID-19 recovery in Viet Nam”, focusing on reducing plastic use and plastic waste in the food and beverage sector.

Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Phi Long delivers a speech at the workshop.

At the workshop, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Phi Long said: Binh Dinh is one of the provinces in Viet Nam that is greatly affected by climate change and sea level rise. For stable and sustainable development, ensuring social security, besides promoting internal resources, provincial agencies and units have actively contacted and sought support resources from organizations and individuals, both domestic and overseas. In recent years, with the UNDP assistance, Binh Dinh province has received financial support to successfully implement many projects in the fields of agriculture, environmental protection, plastic waste management, etc.

In the context of Viet Nam Government is making strong commitments in response to climate change, especially Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 at the Summit on Climate Change held in the framework of COP26 conference, Binh Dinh province is actively proposing measures related to the province's socio-economic development plans and strategies.

At the workshop, Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee and UNDP Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 4 areas of cooperation: Circular Economy and waste management, Ocean economy, Climate change adaptation and biodiversity, Mine actions and sustainable rural development. These areas have great significance for the sustainable development of Binh Dinh province.

In order to quickly concretize the signed contents into practical activities, to support the sustainable development objectives of Binh Dinh province, the Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee requested the UNDP Viet Nam experts actively cooperate and closely work with departments, agencies, and localities of Binh Dinh province to carry out follow-up activities as regulated; at the same time, directed the province’s relevant departments, agencies, and localities to regularly coordinate with UNDP Viet Nam Country Office in reviewing, evaluating and carrying out the ordered procedures for implementing ODA projects in the province based on Viet Nam current regulations.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Viet Nam Resident Representative delivers a speech at the workshop.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Viet Nam Resident Representative emphasized: Workshop on integrated solutions to improve the efficiency of solid and plastic waste management in Binh Dinh, aiming to reduce ocean plastic pollution, and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between leaders of Binh Dinh province and UNDP Viet Nam truly reflect UNDP's values and vision for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Vietnam. It is considered an overall approach to deal with environmental and social challenges.

UNDP Viet Nam Resident Representative said: Today, UNDP officially kicks off the establishment of a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) within the framework of the project “Replication of Integrated Waste Management Models through Empowering informal workers and promoting the Circular Economy”, sponsored by the Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam. This project is built on achievements, lessons learned and good practices that have been achieved in the Phase 1 Project implemented by the Quy Nhon Women's Union. In Binh Dinh, UNDP is working with Quy Nhon city People's Committee and Natural Resources and Environment Department to implement the MRF construction to increase the value of plastic waste and recycled materials with the participation of the private sector and informal waste workers. It is expected that the MRF can process up to 2-4 tons of plastic waste per day, which will help Quy Nhon city to prevent plastic waste from being dumped into landfills or into the environment. Besides, UNDP will also pilot a waste management model in the fishery sector, which encourages fishermen to bring waste back to shore after each trip. Accordingly, it is expected to annually collect and prevent about 5 tons of plastic in the sea.

As for the project "Supporting the implementation of the Action Plan on Ocean Plastic Waste Management in the Context of Post COVID-19 Recovery in Vietnam", funded by the Global Environment Facility, UNDP will strengthen the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) on ocean plastic waste management at the national level; in which, Binh Dinh province is selected as a pilot locality for implementation. The project focuses on reducing plastic waste from the food and beverage sector, with the aim of reducing 1,000 tons of plastic in the ocean.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen hoped the above-said projects would contribute to strengthening waste and plastic waste management, helping to reduce ocean pollution in Binh Dinh in the coming time and becoming a typical model in Viet Nam and the ASEAN region.