Considering nature as the foundation of sustainable development
Environmental protection is not only an urgent requirement in the face of the challenges of climate change, pollution and resource depletion, but also a prerequisite for countries to develop rapidly and sustainably in the new era. The parallel between national economic development and environmental protection has been deeply and strategically mentioned in the article by General Secretary and President To Lam on World Environment Day (June 5) and World Oceans Day (June 8).
As countries around the world are urgently establishing green technical barriers, the transformation of the growth model is no longer an option but a mandatory path to survival and breakthrough.
The mindset of considering nature as the core foundation has brought the environment out of the position of an accompanying factor, becoming a decisive pillar for the stability and prosperity of the nation. The six major tasks outlined by General Secretary and President To Lam in the article are the cornerstone to remove the old development mindset, creating momentum for a circular economy, low emissions and harmony with nature. These messages send a strong commitment of Vietnam to the international community on the responsibility of protecting the green planet.
From a scientific perspective, Dr. Tran Van Mieu - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, said that the view of not trading off the environment to chase after immediate economic benefits, which has been a consistent policy of the Party and State for a long time, has now been elevated to a consistent development philosophy.
The environment is deeply inherited, requiring today's generation to be responsible for preserving it for future generations, absolutely not to abuse natural resources for any short-term growth goals.
Facing the fierce problem of climate change, one of the timely solutions emphasized by General Secretary and President To Lam is building adaptive capacity as a strategic infrastructure. Dr. Tran Van Mieu said that the key to realizing this special infrastructure structure lies in the parallel and smooth implementation between green transformation and digital transformation. These are two core tasks that have been recognized in important Party documents.
The strong shift from the brown economy to the green economy will create sustainable growth models, directly contributing to emission reduction efforts. Along with that, the digital transformation process with the application of big data will play the role of a central coordinating brain. This data system helps managers grasp and assess risks and damages, thereby making decisions based on advanced technology to respond proactively, shifting from passive resistance to a willingness to live together and adapt safely.
Making the blue sea economy a spearhead of development
With the advantage of a coastline of more than 3,260 km, thousands of large and small islands and 21/34 provinces and cities adjacent to the sea, Vietnam has and is possessing huge development potential from the ocean. However, before the reality of biodiversity degradation and the increasingly painful problem of ocean plastic waste, reshaping the method of responsible marine economic development, associated with protecting sovereignty, people's livelihoods and peace at sea, is becoming more urgent than ever.
Dr. Tran Van Mieu believes that transitioning to a green marine economy model is inevitable and needs to be considered a spearhead economy for the country to break through. Vietnam's marine space is currently opening up countless golden opportunities for investment, typically the development of renewable energy, ecotourism and modern maritime services. In particular, with its strategic position in the East Sea, sustainable marine economic development is not only a problem of raising the economic level but also a fundamental solution to build a security belt, firmly protecting the sacred sea and island sovereignty of the Fatherland.
Although the country's economic growth target is always set at a high level, but with the mindset of economic development going hand in hand with environmental protection, we have every right to expect a sustainable development future, under the leadership of the Party and the State," Dr. Tran Van Mieu emphasized.
To realize this strategic vision and great goals, it requires the drastic and synchronous involvement of the entire political system, the joint efforts of the business community in technology innovation and the self-awareness of each citizen.
The transition process may face many challenges, but the close connection between economic progress, social justice and environmental protection will continue to be the guiding principle. The aspiration for an integrated and powerful Vietnam will certainly become a reality on the foundation of an increasingly green and prosperous nation as President Ho Chi Minh's lifetime wish.
