Government officials from New South Wales, Australia share experience with environmental officials from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on regulating pollution from industrial enterprises.

Challenge

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is the industrial heart in Vietnam, comprising both heavy industries and small and medium-sized enterprises. While the local government has constructed 14 industrial parks in the city, most industries are still located within densely populated residential areas, and have the potential for significant impacts to the environment and human health. To better manage the industrial pollution, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) of HCMC promulgated regulations which require industrial enter-prises to self-monitor pollution discharges and report to DONRE, but enforcement remains a major challenge.

Initiative

With support from the USAID’s Environmental Cooperation-Asia (ECO-Asia), AECEN facilitated a “twinning” partnership between DONRE and the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) of New South Wales, Australia with assistance from the Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators Network (AELERT). Through the partnership, DONRE and DECCW counterparts engaged in technical exchanges, including a visit by DONRE decision-makers to Sydney to observe first-hand DECCW practices for implementing an industry environmental performance monitoring and reporting program.

Results

Based on experience and good practices shared by Australia, DONRE has drafted an improved and standardized self-reporting form and guideline for wastewater discharge for use by priority industries in HCMC. In 2011, DONRE will continue to improve self-monitoring, self-reporting and recordkeeping procedures and tools with support from DECCW through technical exchanges and training. USAID will continue to support the twinning partnership and explore opportunities to replicate the improved reporting practice to other cities in Vietnam.