Decision 149/QD-TTg 2022 approving the National Biodiversity Strategy up to 2030, with a vision toward 2050

DECISION

Approving the National Biodiversity Strategy up to 2030, with a vision toward 2050^[1]

THE PRIME MINISTER 

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the December 10, 2018 Law on Biodiversity;

Pursuant to the November 17, 2020 Law on Environmental Protection;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 50/NQ-CP of May 20, 2021, on the Government’s program of action for implementation of the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress;

At the proposal of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment,

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the National Biodiversity Strategy up to 2030, with a vision toward 2050, with the following major contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS, OBJECTIVES AND VISION

1. Viewpoints

a/ Biodiversity is the important natural capital for development of the green economy; biodiversity conservation is both an immediate solution and a long-term, sustainable solution to protect the environment, prevent and control natural disasters and adapt to climate change.

b/ To conserve biodiversity in combination with sustainable use of ecosystem services and biodiversity, contributing to socio-economic development, poverty reduction, and improvement of people’s life quality; to implement an ecosystem approach in biodiversity conservation and use.

c/ Biodiversity conservation is the right and responsibility of all organizations and individuals. Benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services shall be shared in a fair and reasonable manner in conformity with the participation and contribution of organizations and individuals.

d/ To increase resources, prioritizing investment in biodiversity conservation, and restoration and development of natural ecosystems; to promote socialization and increase international cooperation in biodiversity conservation.

2. Objectives up to 2030

a/ Overall objectives

To increase the area of ​​natural ecosystems to be protected and restored and ensure their integrity and connectivity; to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity in order to contribute to socio-economic development toward a green economy and proactive adaptation to climate change.

b/ Specific objectives

- To expand and improve the effectiveness of management of the system of natural heritages and protected areas to ensure satisfaction of the following basic criteria: The area of ​​ protected areas on the mainland will reach 9% the area of the mainland territory; the area of ​​protected sea areas and coastal areas will account for 3%-5% of the country’s natural sea area; management effectiveness assessment will be carried out for 70% of protected areas and natural heritage sites; the number of internationally recognized natural areas will include 15 wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 14 biosphere reserves and 15 ASEAN heritage parks; the national forest coverage rate will be kept stable at 42%-43%; and at least 20% of the degraded natural ecosystem area will be recovered.

- To effectively conserve wild species, especially endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection and migratory species; to ensure that no more wild species will go extinct; to improve the population status of at least 10 endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection; to preserve and conserve wild genetic resources and plant varieties and livestock breeds to achieve the goal of collecting and preserving at least 100,000 genetic resources.

- To assess, maintain and increase the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services through sustainable use, thus limiting negative impacts on biodiversity; to deploy and apply nature-based solutions in socio-economic development, natural disaster prevention and control and climate change adaptation; to promote access to, and fair and reasonable sharing of benefits from the use of, genetic resources.

3. Vision toward 2050

By 2050, important natural ecosystems, endangered species, and precious and rare genetic resources will be restored and effectively conserved; biodiversity and ecosystem services will be quantitatively assessed in a complete manner and used sustainably, thus bringing essential benefits to all people and contributing to assurance of ecological security, proactive response to climate change, and sustainable development of the country.

II. CONTENTS AND KEY TASKS

1. Enhancing conservation and restoration of biodiversity

a/ Expanding and improving the effectiveness of management of the system of natural heritages, protected areas and biodiversity corridors

- To effectively implement the National Biodiversity Conservation Master Plan up to 2030, with a vision to 2050. On the basis of approved master plans, to continue to consolidate and expand the system of natural heritages and protected areas; to promote the establishment of protected wetland and marine areas; to establish and carry out sustainable management of biodiversity corridors connecting protected areas.

- To consolidate and strengthen the capacity of the protected areas management system; to review and complete functions and tasks, organize activities and improve capacity of management boards and organizations assigned to manage natural heritage sites and protected areas; to invest in and upgrade infrastructure facilities, technical systems and equipment for biodiversity management and biodiversity monitoring systems; to conduct environmental and biodiversity education; to pilot and step by step apply models of co-management of protected areas in suitable areas.

- To formulate and promulgate criteria on, and evaluate, the effectiveness of management of natural heritages and protected areas; to guide the registration for recognition of protected areas in the global “Green List”.

- To formulate regulations and instructions for protection of the environment at natural heritages and biodiversity offsetting, and policies on investment in natural heritages, wetland protected areas, and marine protected areas; to formulate policies on career change and support for implementation of sustainable household livelihood models for lawful residential communities in buffer zones.

b/ Consolidating and expanding natural areas of national and international importance

- To build a legal corridor to manage natural heritages recognized by international organizations and world biosphere reserves in the direction of integrated management with the participation of stakeholders; to ensure the harmony between conservation and socio-economic development and promote resources to realize sustainable development goals.

- To guide the nomination for recognition of international titles on biodiversity; to review and assess areas meeting the criteria for recognition of international titles, attaching importance to areas representing ecological zones, sea areas and islands in the nomination of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), world natural heritages, and ASEAN heritage parks; to establish and strengthen the capacity of the network of biosphere reserves, world natural heritages, Ramsar sites, and ASEAN heritage parks.

- To build models of biodiversity conservation associated with sustainable development and improvement of community livelihood; to give priority to the application of pilot models and new mechanisms for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in biosphere reserves.

c/ Applying effective conservation measures in areas outside protected areas

- To survey, evaluate and identify areas of high biodiversity and important wetlands; to guide the implementation of effective biodiversity conservation measures in these areas.

- To implement measures to effectively protect and prevent deforestation and illegal exploitation of forests, coral reefs and seagrass beds; to protect breeding areas, nursery areas and migration routes of aquatic species; to carry out stocking of indigenous and endemic aquatic species of economic and scientific value into natural waters; to study the formation of artificial habitats for endangered, precious and rare aquatic species.

- To promote effective management of important wetlands; to scale up effective wetland use models.

- To establish mechanisms to support the establishment of community-managed natural heritages and conservation areas to protect areas of high biodiversity, especially bird sanctuaries and habitats of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection.

d/ Restoring degraded important natural ecosystems

- To implement the program on restoration of mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds, with priority given to marine protected areas; to zone off and protect for natural restoration of areas with degraded coral reefs and seagrass beds.

- To apply measures of zoning off for regeneration and natural restoration of degraded ecosystems in protected areas, areas of high biodiversity, and biodiversity corridors.

- To effectively implement the National Action Plan on conservation and sustainable use of wetlands during 2021-2030 and the Scheme on planting a billion trees during 2021-2025, associated with the goal of restoring and developing forest ecosystems.

- To formulate procedures and technical guidelines on restoration of degraded natural ecosystems, especially wetland ecosystems, coral reefs, and seagrass beds.

2. Conserving and restoring endangered wild species, especially endangered, precious and rare animal species prioritized for protection and migratory species

- To formulate, and organize the implementation of, the Program on conservation of endangered, precious and rare wild fauna species prioritized for protection; to attach importance on in-situ conservation, research on breeding for conservation and release into the wild of a number of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection; to manage and protect migratory wild species, including protection of their habitats, transboundary migration routes and rest stops; to increase coordination with international organizations to establish a tracking system to monitor important migration routes of migratory wild species.

- To conduct survey and evaluate the current status of endangered, precious and rare wild flora species; to build and develop botanical gardens, apply measures to propagate, restore, and expand planting areas of, wild, endangered, precious and rare flora species prioritized for protection; to conduct in-situ conservation of valuable medicinal plant species.

- To periodically update and publicize the List of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection; to update, compile and build a website on the Vietnam Red Book; to formulate a List of endangered wild species and management and protection regime suitable to each group of species.

- To expand, and strengthen the capacity of, the network of rescue centers nationwide to meet the needs of wildlife rescue by region and type of wildlife rescue, and develop conservation breeding facilities; to strengthen the system of nature and biodiversity exhibitions, displays and museums in Vietnam; to complete the legal framework and technical guidelines for the management of biodiversity conservation facilities.

3. Strengthening the conservation of genetic resources, managing access to genetic resources, and sharing benefits and protecting traditional knowledge about genetic resources

- To effectively implement the Program on conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources up to 2025, with orientations toward 2030; to strengthen the survey, collection and preservation of genetic resources of endangered wild species, forest trees, medicinal plants, crops, livestock animals and wild relatives of crops, livestock animals and microorganisms in gene banks; to take measures to conserve precious, rare, endemic and endangered wild genetic resources.

- To complete the survey and inventory of the distribution of genetic resources of plants and animals nationwide; to assess the threat level of indigenous, endemic, precious and rare varieties and species for breeding so as to collect for storage and have a plan for effectively conserving genetic resources.

- To expand and strengthen the network of gene funds; to intensify the exchange of information, data and experiences among network members; to promote the building of the national genetic resource database.

- To diversify plant varieties and livestock breeds; to conserve plant varieties and livestock breeds and their wild relatives; to improve the effectiveness of programs on farm-based conservation of endangered, precious and rare plant varieties and livestock breeds; to implement measures to encourage the community to participate in the conservation of precious, rare and endemic indigenous plant varieties and livestock breeds.

- To further collect, record, make geographical indications on, and take measures to conserve, traditional knowledge on genetic resources.

- To promote the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization; to improve and guide the implementation of the law on access to genetic resources; to deploy and extend the implementation of models on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing, covering the protection of traditional knowledge related to genetic resources; to formulate a financial mechanism for utilization of benefits derived from genetic resources in biodiversity conservation and protection of traditional knowledge related to genetic resources.

- To continue to effectively implement the Scheme on capacity building on management of access to genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization in the 2016-2025 period.

4. Assessing and promoting the benefits of biodiversity for sustainable development, natural disaster prevention and control and climate change adaptation

a/ Conducting survey and inventory, making statistics of, assessing and building a national biodiversity database

- To survey and make statistics of the area, assess the status, and draw maps of distribution of important wetlands, seagrass beds, coral reefs and other specific natural marine ecosystems in order to deploy solutions for protecting and restoring wetland and marine ecosystems; to monitor the developments of forest resources nationwide.

- To effectively implement the Scheme on inventory, monitoring, reporting and building of the national biodiversity database up to 2030, with a vision toward 2050, with priority given to inventory and monitoring of biodiversity in protected areas and areas of high biodiversity, and of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection.

- To create an environment and conditions for organizations, individuals and communities to participate in inventory, monitoring, reporting and operation of biodiversity databases.

b/ Sustainably using biodiversity and ecosystem services

- To formulate guidelines on quantitative assessment of the value of ecosystem services for pilot application in protected areas and natural heritages; to continue to improve the policy on payment for forest environmental services; to study, formulate, pilot and apply mechanisms and policies on payment for wetland and marine ecosystem services in order to protect, restore and develop biodiversity and natural landscapes.

- To formulate mechanisms, policies and criteria for sustainable development of ecotourism and nature-based tourism in order to minimize impacts on biodiversity; to implement ecotourism models in protected areas, important ecological landscapes and natural heritage sites with green and eco-friendly service infrastructure facilities; to develop specific ecotourism products that are associated with and contribute to biodiversity conservation; to strengthen capacity of authorities at all levels, coordination and linkage among stakeholders in ecotourism activities, especially among management boards, organizations assigned to manage protected areas, tourism businesses, and communities, and promote the role of the private sector in public-private partnership models.

- To conserve and develop non-timber forest products and specific medicinal materials of different regions toward intensive farming, sustainability, and high added value (especially traditional products such as cinnamon, star anise, camellia sasanqua, turpentine, rattan, bamboo, etc.), contributing to improving livelihood, generating income, eradicating hunger and reducing poverty for people residing in mountainous areas and ethnic minority areas; to implement measures to protect and develop valuable non-timber forest species, especially medicinal and ornamental plant species.

- To continue to improve mechanisms and policies on, and guide, the multiplication and rearing of common wild species and strictly control commercial farming of wild species to avoid causing impacts on biodiversity; to install chips and keep records of farmed species that are endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection.

- To research and develop markets and bio-trade for biodiversity-friendly products through production and sustainable supply chain model practices.

- To intensify the protection, improvement and effective management of agro-ecosystems in economic zones; to develop eco-friendly organic agriculture and increase the rate of agricultural land for organic production to 2.5%-3%.

- To intensify the research, development and application of agro-forestry-fishery management and production models through applying eco-friendly modern biotechnology, creating safe and quality products up to international standards, meeting the needs of domestic consumption and participation in the global supply chain.

- To ensure that exploitation and use of biodiversity resources, ecosystem services and activities generating emissions into the natural environment are kept within the load capacity of the ecosystems.

c/ Conserving and developing urban and rural biodiversity

- To conserve, restore and develop green spaces, natural ecosystems and natural landscapes in urban areas; to ensure the area of ​​greeneries and water surface in urban areas according to regulations.

- To implement the Scheme on planting a billion trees in the 2021-2025 period in urban centers and rural areas in order to increase the benefits of green space to people’s health and happiness; to give priority to indigenous trees which are valuable for environmental protection, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation.

- To develop green buildings, green cities and smart cities adaptive to climate change; to develop botanical gardens at schools; to study, formulate and promulgate standards and technical regulations on natural landscapes and biodiversity in urban development.

d/ Conserving biodiversity in adaptation to climate change

- To study, evaluate and forecast impacts of climate change on biodiversity in Vietnam, and implement biodiversity conservation options in areas strongly affected by climate change; to draw maps of zones of climate change risks to natural ecosystems.

- To conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystem services, following community-based and climate change-adaptive approach, with priority given to conservation of precious genetic resources, endangered species and important ecosystems; to conduct risk assessment and control the invasion of alien species under the impact of climate change.

- To apply an ecosystem approach to adaptive management and mitigation of impacts of climate change in vulnerable areas such as river basins, coastal areas (especially the Red River Delta and Mekong River Delta regions) and implement solutions to improve the resilience of biodiversity to climate change in these areas; to strengthen the recovery of natural ecosystems and protect and conserve biodiversity.

- To build biodiversity conservation models in areas of high biodiversity and vulnerable to climate change; to expand ecosystem-based climate change-adaptive livelihood models, and nature- and community knowledge-based adaptation solutions while increasing greenhouse gas absorption capacity; to apply knowledge of local people in conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, ensuring sustainable livelihood.

- To continue to implement the national program on greenhouse gas emission reduction through efforts to limit forest loss and degradation; to conserve and improve carbon stocks and sustainably manage forest resources (under the REDD+ Program).

5. Controlling activities that have negative impacts on biodiversity

a/ Strictly controlling repurposing of land, forests, and water surface, unsustainable farming and exploitation methods, and activities causing environmental pollution

- To guide and properly perform natural landscape and biodiversity impact assessment in environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment; to formulate, promulgate and implement the biodiversity offsetting mechanism.

- To minimize and strictly control repurposing of special-use forests, protection forests, production forests which are natural forests, and important wetlands, especially key conservation areas, and important river basins and coastal areas; to prevent destructive fishing activities and alter fishing practices that have great impacts on aquatic resources and are fuel intensive to those that are friendly to the environment and aquatic resources.

- To effectively implement solutions to curb the increase rate of environmental pollution with negative impacts on biodiversity; to strengthen control of wastes, especially plastic wastes, and sources of pollution, and maintain and improve the quality of the environment around natural heritage sites, protected areas and areas of high biodiversity.

- To promote fuel- and energy-efficient sustainable production and consumption models; to develop and expand sharing-economy, circular-economy, low-carbon, ecological, and eco-friendly models. To mobilize and guide people to use eco-friendly products to contribute to protection of biodiversity.

- To continue to restructure agriculture and fisheries in the direction of applying high technology, good agricultural practices (GAP), organic agriculture, sustainable aquaculture, green growth, and climate change adaptation; to limit the use of chemicals in agriculture (pesticides, antibiotics, growth stimulants, and chemical fertilizers).

b/ Controlling  illegal exploitation, captive breeding, trade and consumption of wild animals and plants

- To control destructive exploitation of wild species, especially birds during the migration season, aquatic species in the breeding season, and ancient forest trees.

- To continue to control and prevent illegal exploitation, catching, transportation and trade of precious and rare wild fauna and flora species; to ensure that the import of wild animals and plants does not adversely affect biodiversity and human health.

- To review, evaluate, inspect and supervise breeding of wildlife; to control the implementation of legal requirements on environmental protection and biodiversity conservation at licensed wildlife breeding facilities; to eliminate illegal wildlife markets and venues.

- To implement safety measures for humans and bred wildlife, ensuring compliance with conditions on environmental hygiene, and control animal diseases and prevention of zoonotic diseases according to the “One Health” approach of the World Health Organization.

- To carry out public communication about refusal to consume and use wildlife products; to promote the participation of the community and media agencies in detecting and preventing illegal exploitation, captive breeding, trade and consumption of wild animals and plants.

- To increase management and law enforcement capacity and improve and implement the inter-sectoral coordination mechanism among environmental police, market surveillance, customs, forest protection, fisheries resources surveillance, and environmental protection forces and other relevant agencies in detecting, effectively preventing and strictly handling acts of illegal exploitation, captive breeding, trade and consumption of wild animals and plants.

- To consolidate the Wildlife Enforcement Network (Vietnam WEN); to increase cooperation with regional and international law enforcement networks (such as ASEAN WEN, Interpol) in handling acts of illegal trade and transportation of wild animals and plants.

c/ Preventing, strictly controlling and effectively eradicating invasive alien species; intensifying biosafety management of genetically modified organisms

- To improve the legal framework to prevent and control invasive alien species; to periodically publish a list of invasive alien species, establish a mechanism to control the spreading of invasive alien species; to strictly manage activities of raising and planting alien species posing the risk of invasion according to law; to implement measures to control and eradicate invasive alien species; to prevent illegal import, cultivation, development, transportation and trade of invasive alien species.

- To control risks from genetically modified organisms, focusing on the management of import, licensing and development of the rearing and cultivation of genetically modified organisms; to strengthen cooperation, and exchange and learn from experience to improve technical and professional capacity of agencies and units in charge of biosafety management of genetically modified organisms.

III. MAJOR SOLUTIONS

1. Improving policies, laws and institutions on management of, and building capacity of enforcement of the law on, biodiversity

- To formulate the national master plan on biodiversity conservation and integrate requirements on biodiversity conservation into regional, sectoral and provincial master plans.

- To study and improve the system of legal documents on nature and biodiversity conservation; to study and formulate instructions and directions on restoration of natural ecosystems, thus contributing to biodiversity conservation, natural disaster prevention and control, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development, and legal documents on the legal liability for, and compensation regarding biosafety management of genetically modified organisms.

- To consolidate and intensify capacity of the system of state management agencies in charge of biodiversity for them to effectively perform biodiversity management in an effective manner; to increase the effectiveness of coordination among ministries and sectors having the management function related to biodiversity conservation; to intensify capacity of provincial-level specialized units in charge of environmental protection for performance of state management tasks on biodiversity; to formulate and implement a mechanism on coordination among state management agencies in charge of biodiversity, socio-political organizations and development partners in the field of biodiversity conservation.

- To intensify capacity of, and provide training in biodiversity management to, environmental management staffs and management staffs of protected areas and natural heritage sites; to provide conditions for, and intensify capacity of coordination in, enforcement of the biodiversity protection law for environmental police, forest protection, fisheries resources surveillance, market surveillance, customs, and border guard forces; to mobilize the participation of the military force in management and protection of protected areas and natural heritage sites in border areas and on islands; to set up hotlines for handling violations of regulations on protection of biodiversity and wild animals and plants in localities.

2. Raising awareness about and sense of nature and biodiversity conservation

- To disseminate and raise awareness of authorities and sectors on the viewpoint that considers biodiversity an important natural capital and a foundation for ensuring the country’s sustainable development and biodiversity conservation one of the solutions to effectively protect the environment and adapt to climate change; to continue to raise the awareness and ways of thinking of authorities and sectors about the role and importance of biodiversity conservation in making development policies; to clearly specify responsibilities of authorities, sectors and local administrations for biodiversity conservation; and to study and integrate criteria on biodiversity conservation into environmental protection criteria.

- To intensify education to raise the sense of protection of the nature and wildlife and build up eco-friendly behaviors; to integrate contents on biodiversity conservation into contents on environmental protection in education programs at all levels; to enhance organizations’ and individuals’ sense of law observance and performance of social responsibilities regarding nature and biodiversity conservation; to study a mechanism on, and encourage organizations and individuals to sign with state agencies and implement, voluntary standards and commitments on nature and biodiversity conservation.

- To diversify the forms, contents and methods of provision of information on biodiversity suitable to subjects of communications; to regularly disseminate the law on biodiversity conservation in the mass media; to honor good models and initiatives of organizations and individuals on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

- To ensure the equitable participation and rights of inhabitants, local communities, women and girls, and the youth in the process of making decisions related to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

3. Stepping up the inclusion and implementation of requirements on biodiversity conservation in making of policies and implementation of public investment projects

- To promote the implementation of criteria on biodiversity in national-level, sectoral, and local strategies, master plans and plans; to guide the integration of biodiversity conservation into public investment projects; to intensify the application of nature-based solutions in socio-economic development, natural disaster prevention and control, and climate change adaptation.

- To improve quality of strategic environment assessment and environmental impact assessment, thus contributing to mitigating negative impacts on biodiversity; to supervise the implementation of commitments on biodiversity conservation in the course of formulation and implementation of development projects.

- To integrate the implementation of contents and requirements on biodiversity conservation into national target programs.

4. Promoting scientific research on, and development, transfer and application of advanced technologies for, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

- To step up scientific research on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; to study and apply science and technology in developing wildlife breeding and reintroduction and sustainable use of species and genetic resources; to intensify researches for managing or controlling adverse impacts of biotechnology on biodiversity and human health.

- To develop and acquire new technologies, and apply sustainable measures for exploitation of natural resources and biodiversity.

- To intensify researches into and detect genetic and derivative materials of high application value for socio-economic development; to facilitate domestic and foreign organizations’ and individuals’ access to genetic resources for the purpose of research and development of commercial products.

- To effectively apply achievements of modern science and technology (information technology, remote sensing, biology, etc.) in biodiversity management, survey, monitoring, tracking, examination, and supervision; to intensify baseline research in life science and applied research on taxonomy-based modern techniques to help Vietnamese scientists detect and announce new organism species.

- To formulate and implement national-level science and technology tasks on biodiversity to study and propose solutions for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

5. Ensuring financial sources for biodiversity conservation

- To balance and allocate state budget funds for implementation of prioritized tasks, solutions, schemes and projects of the Strategy in accordance with the laws on the state budget and public investment; to prioritize mobilization of ODA sources for implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy; to increase efficiency of capital invested in biodiversity conservation.

- To encourage and mobilize the community and business cycle to participate and invest in biodiversity conservation; to implement models of public-private partnership in conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem services and biodiversity; to study and issue financial policies to support livelihood development for residential communities in buffer zones; to encourage the development of lawful financial mechanisms on community-based conservation so as to mobilize and effectively use resources for biodiversity conservation and community livelihood development, especially for inhabitants lawfully living in buffer zones of protected areas.

- To study and apply new and breakthrough financial mechanisms to mobilize resources for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in conformity with treaties to which Vietnam is a contracting party and international practices such as the biodiversity credit scheme, debt-for-nature swap mechanism, green bond, green credit, etc.

- To promote assistance of organizations and individuals for biodiversity conservation activities.

6. Intensifying international integration and cooperation in conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

- To proactively participate in, and realize commitments under, treaties on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity to which Vietnam is a contracting party; to study and propose the participation in new treaties, initiatives, forums, and international organizations on biodiversity, ensuring national interests.

- To intensify cooperation in nature and biodiversity management, especially with bordering countries; to step up international cooperation in controlling illegal trading in wild plants and animals, and exchange of experience in the field of biodiversity with other countries and international organizations.

IV. PRIORITIZED PROGRAMS, SCHEMES AND PROJECTS

To promulgate together with this Decision the list of prioritized programs, schemes and projects for implementation of the Strategy in Appendix I.

V. FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY

 Funds for implementation of the Strategy include:

1. Funds from state budgets at all levels in accordance with law.

2. Funds integrated in national target programs, and other programs, plans, and projects.

3. Credits from domestic and foreign finance institutions.

4. Proceeds from collection of forest environment service charges, forest environment rentals, charges for environmental services related to biodiversity, and ecosystem service charges.

5. Investment, contributions, aid, and donations from organizations and individuals.

6. Other financial sources in accordance with law.

VI. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Assignment of responsibilities for implementation of the Strategy

a/ The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in, organizing the implementation of the Strategy; formulate, submit to competent authorities for approval and effectively implement assigned programs, schemes and projects.

- Formulate, and organize the implementation of, the Program on communications and  raising of awareness about biodiversity; guide the formulation of provincial-level action plans and communications programs on raising of awareness about biodiversity; examine the implementation of the Strategy; and organize preliminary review of the implementation of the Strategy in 2025, and final review in 2030.

- Formulate and guide the application of standards on management of protected areas and natural heritage sites, and implement the management effectiveness assessment program.

- Establish a Partnership Forum between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and organizations engaged in biodiversity and ecosystem services in order to share information, create cooperation opportunities, and carry out coordinated action to increase the effectiveness of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

b/ The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in, studying and improving mechanisms and policies on investment in biodiversity; gather and allocate investment funds and mobilize international donations for effectively implementing the Strategy; and allocate investment capital for implementation of biodiversity programs, schemes and projects in accordance with the law on public investment.

c/ The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and related ministries and sectors in, studying and improving financial and credit policies to effectively implement the Strategy; and allocate funds for implementation of the Strategy in accordance with the Law on the State Budget.

d/ The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall

- Assume the prime responsibility for implementing the Strategy’s criteria and tasks under its management and major contents and tasks on sustainable use of biodiversity in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; strictly control impacts of repurposing of land and water surface for agricultural, forestry and fishery development, and repurposing of forests serving non-forestry purposes.

- Organize the implementation of the Scheme on planting a billion trees in the 202 -2025 period in association with restoration of natural forest ecosystems in an effective manner; and integrate biodiversity conservation tasks into plans, programs and projects on agricultural, forestry and fishery development.

dd/ The Ministry of Science and Technology shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in, studying, formulating, and organizing the implementation of, science and technology schemes, projects and tasks under its management in line with the Strategy’s objectives and contents.

e/ The Ministry of Public Security shall formulate, and organize the implementation of, schemes, projects and tasks under its management in line with the Strategy’s objectives and contents; organize the performance of tasks on fighting and preventing acts of infringing upon national security in the field of biodiversity and preventing and controlling crimes or violations related to crimes in biodiversity protection.

g/ The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall organize the implementation of requirements on management and protection of the environment in natural heritage sites in accordance with the Law on Environmental Protection; coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in formulating, and organizing the implementation of, requirements on biodiversity conservation in development of nature-based tourism and eco-tourism; integrate the implementation of requirements on biodiversity conservation into related programs, schemes, projects and tasks in line with the Strategy’s objectives and contents.

h/ Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-attached agencies shall, within the ambit of their responsibilities and powers, formulate, and organize the implementation of, programs, schemes, projects and tasks in line with the Strategy’s objectives and contents.

i/ Provincial-level People’s Committees shall

- Propose provincial-level People’s Councils to allocate funds for performance of tasks assigned to localities from the source of local budgets according to current regulations on decentralization of the state budget; mobilize and use resources allocated by the central level and other resources to implement the Strategy.

- Direct the formulation and organize the implementation of provincial-level biodiversity action plans in 2022; and provincial-level programs on communications and raising of awareness about biodiversity in line with the Strategy’s objectives and contents and localities’ realities.

k/ Socio-political organizations, social organizations and socio-professional organizations are requested to proactively participate in, and supervise conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity falling under their management; organizations and individuals are encouraged to participate in conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

2.  Monitoring and assessment of the implementation of the Strategy

Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, and provincial-level People’s Committees shall monitor and assess the implementation of the Strategy according to their assigned functions, tasks and responsibilities; send mid-term assessment reports to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment before September 30, 2025, and final assessment reports before September 30, 2030, for summarization and reporting to the Prime Minister

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees, and heads of related agencies shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
LE VAN THANH

* The appendices to this Decision are not translated.