The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment received a petition from voters in Nghe An province with the content: "Expanding the beneficiaries of forest environmental services, improving forest protection regimes, having a mechanism to buy carbon credits directly for people to enjoy, supporting people to invest in planting medicinal herbs under the forest canopy to both improve forest protection efficiency and develop forest economy, and reduce poverty sustainably".
After researching, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment continues to inform the Committee for Petitions and Supervision of the National Assembly and the Delegation of National Assembly Deputies of Nghe An province as follows:
The Government has issued Decree No. 180/2026/ND-CP stipulating services for carbon absorption and storage of forests, which stipulates the construction and registration of forest carbon projects; issuance of forest carbon credits; confirmation of emission reduction results, forest carbon credits provided; exchange and transfer of emission reduction results, forest carbon credits and management and use of revenue from carbon absorption and storage services of forests.
These regulations have created a legal basis for deploying forest carbon absorption and storage services, contributing to expanding opportunities for forest owners, communities and related entities to benefit from the values of forests.
In addition, the Government has issued relevant legal regulations to improve the legal framework for greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon market development.
Regarding voters' recommendations on supporting people to invest in planting medicinal herbs under the forest canopy, this content has been regulated and implemented through forestry policies, specifically: Forestry Law; Decree No. 183/2025/ND-CP dated July 10, 2025 of the Government amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP dated November 16, 2018 of the Government detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Forestry Law; Decision No. 208/QD-TTg dated February 29, 2024 of the Prime Minister approving the Project on developing the multi-purpose value of forest ecosystems to 2030, vision to 2050.
In addition, Decree No. 58/2024/ND-CP dated May 24, 2024 of the Government on a number of investment policies in forestry (amended and supplemented by Decree No. 42/2026/ND-CP dated January 26, 2026 amending Decrees in the field of forestry and forest protection) has fully stipulated policies on investment in forest protection and development in general, specific policies for each type of forest and subjects, increasing investment levels, investment support for forest protection and development, including support for production forest planting.
In addition, for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, support for the development of precious medicinal material growing areas, medicinal materials with economic value is implemented according to content 01, component content No. 02, Component 2; support for the development of non-timber forest products, including medicinal materials under the forest canopy, is supported according to content 02, Component 2 of Decision No. 417/QD-BNNMT dated January 31, 2026 of the Minister of Agriculture and Environment approving the National Target Program on building new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2026-2035, phase I: From 2026 to 2030.
