Decision No. 438/QD-TTg approving scheme for development of urban areas in response to climate change in 2021-2030

DECISION

Approving the Scheme on development of urban areas in Vietnam in response to climate change in the 2021-2030 period

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 Law on Organization of Local Administration;  

Pursuant to Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW of June 3, 2013, of the 7^th plenum of the 11^th Party Central Committee, on proactive response to climate change and intensification of natural resource management and environmental protection;

Pursuant to the Government's Resolution No. 06/NQ-CP of January 21, 2021, on the Action Program to further implement Resolution No. 24-NQ /TW of the 11^th Party Central Committee, on proactive response to climate change and intensification of natural resource management and environmental protection under the Political Bureau’s Conclusion No. 56-KL/TW of August 23, 2019;

Pursuant to the Government's Resolution No. 93/NQ-CP of October 31, 2016, ratifying the Paris Agreement on implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1055/QD-TTg of July 20, 2020, promulgating the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050;

At the proposal of the Minister of Construction in Report No. 49/TTr-BXD of December 17, 2020, and Official Letter No. 770/BXD-PTĐT of March 9, 2021,

DECIDES:

Article 1. Approving the Scheme on development of urban areas in Vietnam in response to climate change in the 2021-2030 period (below referred to as the Scheme), with the following principal contents:

I. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives: To proactively respond to climate change, and reasonably use natural resources in upgrading and developing urban areas, thus helping gradually control and reduce air, water and soil pollution according to international standards; to review, supplement and improve the system of legal documents and master plans and manage urban development investment in the context of increased climate change risks; to raise awareness and increase coordination among ministries, sectors and localities in administration and management of urban development in response to climate change.

2. Specific objectives:

To concretize the requirements and tasks set out in Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW of the 11^th Party Central Committee, the Plan to implement the Paris Agreement on implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the National Strategy for Climate Change, the National Target Program on Climate Change Response, the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan, and the National Climate Change Scenario in development of the national system of urban areas.

To formulate programs and plans to survey and assess levels of impacts of climate change on the urban system prone to high risk.

To develop a task framework and response solutions to adapt to climate change and sea level rise, and limit and mitigate risks in construction and development of urban areas in Vietnam.

To propose pilot programs and projects, estimate funding, and assign ministries, sectors and localities to coordinate with one another in organizing the implementation thereof.

To set urban development orientations, focusing on improvement of quality of technical infrastructure, environmental services and overall master plans in adaptation to disasters and climate change.

II. SCOPE AND DURATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Scope of implementation of the Scheme: To be implemented for the urban system nationwide (63 provinces and centrally run cities), focusing on the system of coastal and delta urban areas prone to flood and the system of urban areas at high risk of flashfloods and landslides in the Northern Mountainous region, Central Coastal region, Southeast region and Central Highlands region.

2. Duration of implementation:

The Scheme shall be implemented in the period from now to 2030, with a vision beyond 2030, specifically as follows:

Phase I (2021-2025): To be implemented in 5 urban areas, including Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Can Tho, Hai Phong and Da Nang, and urban areas in 7 provinces in the Northern Coastal region, Central Coastal region and Mekong River delta and 7 provinces in the Northern Mountainous region and Central Highlands region.

Phase II (2026-2030): To be implemented in coastal and delta urban areas prone to flood; or at high risk of flashfloods and landslides in the provinces in the Northern Mountainous region, Central Coastal region, Southeast region and Central Highlands region, and in provinces whose urban areas suffer new impacts of climate change.

Beyond-2030 phase: To be implemented nationwide.

(The List of provinces and urban areas covered by the Scheme in the period 2021-2030 is provided in Appendix I to this Decision).

III. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

The Scheme is proposed to focus on the following 6 tasks and solutions:

1. To survey and assess levels of impacts of climate change on the development of the existing urban system and urban areas scheduled to be built in the 2021-2030 period; to zone areas at high risk of being impacted by climate change; to determine the ability and level of self-adaptation and propose response solutions; to build a database and atlas for warning climate change risks in urban areas (referred to as the Urban and Climate Atlas).

2. To integrate the content of climate change response into urban development master plans, programs and plans; to warn of risks in urban development areas that are likely to be impacted by climate change.

3. To review and supplement the system of legal documents, standards, technical regulations and regulations on classification of urban areas, planning, and development investment management for urban areas, houses and technical infrastructure facilities in the context of increased climate change risks.

4. To form a system to control and limit floods and inundation in urban areas. To build flood control reservoirs, and clear up, dredge, renovate, reinforce, and divert streams of, urban drainage systems. To build dikes, embankments, flood barriers, flood diversion structures, and large-scale modern groundwater storage facilities. To zone areas for protection and develop solutions to resettle and relocate people in risk-prone areas. To build flood- and storm-resistant houses.

5. To increase capacity of leading officials and specialized officers at all levels in urban management and development in response to climate change. To communicate impacts of climate change on the people, and strengthen coordination between the community and stakeholders in implementation of the Scheme.

6. To implement scientific and technological research cooperation programs, pilot projects on development of green-growth and smart urban areas, green architecture, and ecology in response to climate change; to build energy-efficient and less-emission works; to develop environment-friendly, reused or recycled building materials.

(The List of programs and projects on development of urban areas in Vietnam in response to climate change through 2030 provided in Appendix II to this Decision).

IV. PRODUCTS OF THE SCHEME

The Scheme has 6 major products below:

1. Building a database on urban risk warning; and Urban and Climate Atlas in localities.

2. Promulgating the system of legal documents, standards and technical regulations on urban planning and development; integrating guidelines and contents on risk and inundation management into urban development.

3. Orientations, master plans (regional master plans, provincial master plans and master plans of urban areas) and urban development programs with adjusted and supplemented contents on climate change response and control solutions for urban development.

4. Criteria for determination of areas prioritized for construction, upgrading and renovation in urban areas in response to climate change as a basis for effective construction investment.

5. Supplementing documents on technical instructions on construction and development of green-growth and smart urban areas, green architecture, and ecology in response to climate change; updating, operating, and assessing risks based on, the data in the Urban and Climate Atlas; issuing teaching materials to build capacity for risk management and climate change response.

6. Carrying out international cooperation in research and pilot implementation of a number of programs and projects applying new technologies and materials to develop green-growth and smart urban areas, and green architecture in response to climate change; implementing the national program on upgrading of urban areas in response to climate change.

V. FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME

1. Funds for implementation of the Scheme shall be allocated from the state budget (including development investment capital and current expenditures) according to the Law on the State Budget, Law on Public Investment and relevant laws; included in relevant programs and projects; contributions and financial support from domestic and foreign businesses, organizations and individuals; and other lawfully mobilized sources in accordance with law.

Funds for implementation of the Scheme shall be allocated from the state budget (including development investment capital and current expenditures) according to the current regulations on budget decentralization; included in relevant programs, projects and schemes; contributions and financial support from domestic and foreign businesses, organizations and individuals; and other lawfully mobilized sources .

2. To encourage the mobilization of funds from international cooperation and ODA for the implementation of pilot programs and projects.

Article 2. Organization of implementation

1. The Steering Committee for the National Urban Development Program shall assume the prime responsibility for, urge, inspect and direct the implementation of the Scheme; review and assess the implementation of the Scheme according to phases, and report it to the Prime Minister.

2. The Ministry of Construction shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and provincial-level People's Committees in, organizing the performance of the following tasks:

- To implement the Scheme under current regulations; to assess and accept the implementation results in the 2021-2025 period as a basis for deciding on the implementation of the Scheme in the next phase to ensure the feasibility and effectiveness of the Scheme.

- To coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, and provincial-level People's Committees in summarizing capital plans, and annually arranging and phasing programs and projects.

- To coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Science and Technology and related ministries and sectors in providing training programs to raise awareness, capacity and consultancy and management skills for urban development in response to climate change.

- To transfer results, technical instructions and new regulations on urban development in response to climate change to related localities; to form focal points for management of urban development in provinces and centrally run cities.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Finance shall balance and allocate the central budget funds to ministries, central agencies and localities to perform their assigned tasks under this Scheme in accordance with the budget-balancing capacity and the Law on the State Budget and the Law on Public Investment; to coordinate in inspection and supervision of implementation of the Scheme.

4. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Science and Technology shall provide consultancy and national climate change information, data, maps and scenarios; to integrate the Scheme's programs into national climate change response programs and plans; to add a list of state-level scientific and technological researches to serve implementation of the Scheme; to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction, ministries, sectors and provincial-level People's Committees in, implementing the Scheme's tasks and programs.

5. Other related ministries and sectors shall participate in the implementation of projects under the Scheme as assigned; provide consultancy, information and data and integrate their relevant tasks and activities into the Scheme's activities.

6. Provincial-level People's Committees

- To proactively review master plans and practical situation on development of urban areas and residential areas, determine locations and levels of impacts of climate change.

- To coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Construction in building the Urban and Climate Atlas and database.

- To proactively allocate funds from local budgets, funds for the implementation of scientific researches and other lawful funds for implementation of the Scheme. To assign units acting as focal points to assume the prime responsibility for implementation of the Scheme in their localities; to organize the implementation of the Scheme and annually report it to the Ministry of Construction.

- To coordinate with ministries, central sectors and other provinces and centrally run cities in regions in implementing inter-regional or inter-city projects.

7. Mass organizations shall proactively participate in and the community is mobilized to participate in urban development activities in response to climate change.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

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

For the Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister

TRINH DINH DUNG

* The Appendices to this Decision are not translated.