Vietnam Revises Environmental Protection Law But Enforcement a Concern
Vietnam’s National Assembly Tuesday amended the country’s environmental protection law to give communities a bigger role in conservation and impose responsibilities on corporations, but critics say monitoring mechanisms in the country are not adequate to enforce it.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the Revised Law on Environmental Protection, with 92 percent voting in favor. The draft law to replace the 2014 version was presented to the assembly in May this year.
The new law, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, requires owners of factories to use the best available technology to control pollution and limit environmental impact, and defines residential communities as an essential part of the environment to be protected.
The law states that the communities will have an enhanced role in supervision and feedback to ensure their rights and interests in environmental protection activities.
RFA’s Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Eugene Whong
