Decision 1662/QD-TTg 2021 Protection and development of coastal forests in response to climate change in 2021-2030

                                            DECISION

Approving the Scheme “Protection and development of coastal forests in response to climate change and promotion of green growth in the 2021-2030 period”

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THE PRIME MINISTER

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

Pursuant to the Law on Marine and Island Resources and Environment dated June 25, 2015;

Pursuant to the Law on Forestry dated November 26, 2017;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW dated June 3, 2013, of the 7^th Plenary Session of the 11^th Central Committee, on active in response to climate change, improvement of natural resource management and environmental protection; Conclusion No. 56-KL/TW dated August 23, 2019, of the Political Bureau, on continuing to implement the Resolution of the 7^th Plenary Session of the 11^th Central Committee on active in response to climate change, improvement of natural resource management and environmental protection;

Pursuant to the Government's Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP dated November 17, 2017, on sustainable development of the Mekong Delta;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 523/QD-TTg dated April 1, 2021, on approving Vietnam’s forestry development strategy for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050;

At the request of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

DECIDES:

Article 1. Approving the Scheme on Protection and development of coastal forests in response to climate change and promotion of green growth in the 2021-2030 period (hereinafter referred to as the Scheme), with the following main contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Viewpoints

a) Unified perception and recognition of the position, role, and special importance of coastal forests in preventing desertification, mitigating natural disasters, and responding to climate change and sea level rise.

b) Implementation of tasks for the protection and development of coastal forests on the basis of promoting the achieved results and overcoming the limitations and inadequacies of the 2015-2020 period; consistent with the Strategy for Forest Development, National Forestry Planning, National Land Use Master Plans, and related master plans, ensuring sustainable effectiveness and harmony between national interests and the interests of organizations and individuals involved in forest management, protection, and development; fulfilling Vietnam's commitments when participating in Conventions, treaties on environmental protection, climate change response, and anti-desertification.

c) The state gives priority to allocating resources from the budget and encourages the mobilization of investment funds from various sources of funding, international assistance, and other lawful funds for the protection and development of coastal forests, especially in the Mekong Delta.

d) The state establishes mechanisms and policies to attract economic sectors, households, and communities to invest in and benefit from the protection and development of coastal forests; promote the initiative of localities in forest protection and development of coastal forests.

2. Objectives

To manage, protect and sustainably use forests of existing coastal forests and newly created forests in the 2021-2030 period. To effectively promote the role and function of coastal forests in the protection of the environment and infrastructure systems in coastal areas; to prevent desertification and soil degradation; to conserve biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; to create jobs and income for people in coastal areas, contribute to socio-economic development, protect the environment and strengthen national defense and security, reduce natural disasters, and effectively respond to climate change and sea level rise.

II. MAIN TASKS

1. Forest protection

To effectively manage, protect and use existing coastal forests, especially protection forests, special-use forests and production forests which are natural forests in coastal areas.

2. Forest restoration and development

a) Forestation: 20,000 ha, including:

- Tidal wave-shielding forests and sea encroachment-preventing forests (mangrove forests): 9,800 ha;

- Wind- and sand-shielding protection forests (on soil and sand sites): 10,200 ha.

In the 2021-2025 period, 11,000 ha shall be newly planted.

b) Additional plantation for reforestation and forest enrichment of 15,000 ha, including:

- Tidal wave-shielding forests and sea encroachment-preventing forests (mangrove forests): 6,800 ha;

- Wind- and sand-shielding protection forests (on soil and sand sites): 8,200 ha.

In the 2021-2025 period, additional plantation for reforestation and forest enrichment shall be carried out on 9,000 ha.

3. Enhancing capacity and developing livelihoods for communities and people participating in the protection and development of coastal forests.

III. SOLUTIONS

1. Mechanisms and policies

Continuing to strictly and effectively implement the 2017 Law on Forestry and current mechanisms and policies. Reviewing and improving mechanisms and policies on management, protection, and sustainable development of coastal forests in response to climate change, prevention of desertification and land degradation. Review and improve mechanisms and policies on coastal forest restoration and development in association with socio-economic development, defense, and security assurance.

2. Public information and education, capacity building and awareness raising about the role and value of coastal forests

a) Organizing propaganda in the mass media about the role of coastal forests in response to climate change, prevention of desertification and land degradation, and provision of economic and social values, and assurance of national defense and security.

Propagating and mobilizing people to comply with the law on forestry, mobilizing households living in and near forests to sign commitments to forest protection, and develop and implement forest protection conventions.

b) Developing informative materials and technical instructions on the protection, afforestation and restoration of coastal forests.  Organizing training sessions and legal education to enhance the awareness and responsibilities of all levels, sectors, forest owners, and the whole society in the protection and development of coastal forests.

3. Science and technology

a) Researching, selecting and breeding forest plant varieties in coastal areas with high endurance and adaptation to climate change; researching and completing technical guidelines and solutions to prevent and control organisms harmful to forest trees in coastal areas.

b) Completing the database of coastal forests to support management and monitoring.

c) Replicating models of protection and development of coastal forests associated with the prevention of desertification and land degradation, and integrated with agriculture, forestry, and fisheries production.

4. Implementation of priority tasks

a) Establishing seedling forests and nurseries for the production of seedlings in service of afforestation in coastal areas.

b) Protecting and developing mangrove forests, and preventing coastal landslides, with special priority for the Mekong Delta.

c) Planting wind- and sand-shielding protection forests, protecting the environment, and preventing desertification, especially in the central provinces of Vietnam.

d) Zoning for regeneration, enrichment and biodiversity conservation, and conservation of endangered and rare forest fauna and flora in special-use forests and forests with high biodiversity in coastal areas.

dd) Conducting forestry extension, transfer of varieties and techniques for planting production forests, building agroforestry models, improving livelihoods, linking people and businesses along the product value chain.

e) Conducting public-private cooperation in afforestation, protection and development of coastal forests in association with livelihood development, combining eco-tourism and community-based forest management.

g) Monitoring, supervising and updating the database of resources in coastal forests.

h) Allocating land associated with forest allocation, establishing forest boundaries, and preparing forest management records.

IV. FUNDING FOR SCHEME IMPLEMENTATION

1. Funding for the implementation of the Scheme shall be allocated from the state budget in accordance with current law and other lawful capital sources.

2. Based on the assigned tasks in the Scheme, relevant ministries, sectors and localities shall develop annual operation plans and make estimates of funding requirements and submit them to competent authorities for approval in accordance with the law.

3. Localities shall take responsibility for allocating local budgets and mobilizing lawful funds to implement the Scheme in their localities according to regulations.

Article 2. Organization of implementation

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall

a) Act as the standing agency to implement the Scheme, assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and coastal provinces in organizing the effective implementation of the Scheme; proactively integrate the objectives and tasks of the Scheme with the National Target Programs, Sustainable Forestry Development Program and related programs, schemes and projects conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

b) Guide, supervise, urge, inspect, and preliminarily evaluate the results of annual, 5-year implementation and 10-year summary; promptly propose and submit proposals to the Prime Minister for decision on arising issues, beyond the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and adjust the Scheme, supplement priority projects and tasks in accordance with practical conditions.

c) Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and sectors in, technical appraisal of investment projects on the protection and development of coastal forests invested from the state budget supported by the central government in localities. Issue technical guiding documents related to the management, protection and development of coastal forests; monitor and direct the implementation of projects for the protection, restoration and development of coastal forests.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall

a) Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, ministries, sectors and localities in, allocating development investment funds to implement projects on the protection and development of coastal forests in accordance with the law on public investment.

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, ministries, sectors and localities in inspecting, supervising and organizing the effective implementation of the Scheme.

3. The Ministry of Finance shall

Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in, allocating funds (state budget) for the implementation of the Scheme in accordance with the Law on the State Budget.

4. The Ministry of Resource and Environment shall

a) Cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, relevant ministries, sectors and localities in reviewing and summarizing the list of projects related to the protection and development of coastal forests of localities in investment programs and plans in the coming period; coordinate the inspection, supervision and urge the implementation of the Scheme.

b) Coordinate with localities in directing and reviewing master plans and plans on land use in coastal areas to ensure stability, long-term, and proper purposes; reserve land funds for forest development of coastal forests.

c) Direct and guide localities to establish coastal protection corridors compatible with the criteria of tidal wave-shielding forests and sea encroachment-preventing forests and wind- and sand-shielding protection forests.

5. The People’s Committees of coastal provinces and cities shall

a) Promulgate policies to encourage and support the protection and development of coastal forests according to their competence and suitable to the actual conditions of the localities.

b) Review and plan on land use, determine the land funds reserved for the protection and development of coastal forests; prioritize funding for investment in the protection and development of coastal forests.

Review the current situation and plan for land use for afforestation in coastal areas; consider the recovery of land areas within dike safety corridors, areas planned for coastal forests, which are encroached, illegally used, and the land area used for improper purposes or ineffectively for restoration and afforestation according to regulations.

Allocate forests, lease forests, contract for forest protection according to the provisions of law, especially the forest area currently managed by the People's Committees of communes; strengthen community forest management.

c) Formulate a plan to implement the Scheme in the locality; review, formulate, approve and organize the implementation of investment projects on the protection and development of coastal forests according to the prescribed funding sources.

d) Direct the propaganda and education to raise awareness about the role and function of coastal forests; mobilize people and economic sectors to actively participate in the protection and development of coastal forests; organize the management and protection of coastal forests according to current regulations.

dd) Organize the implementation, inspection and supervision of projects on the protection and development of coastal forests in the locality; monitor and update the coastal forest database; evaluate the annual and 5-year implementation results and send to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for summarization and reporting.

6. Relevant ministries, sectors and localities shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and localities in, effectively organizing the implementation of this Scheme according to their assigned functions, tasks, and authorities.

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

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, presidents of People's Committees of centrally run provinces and cities in the coastal areas and concerned organizations and individuals are responsible for the implementation of this Decision.