VIETNAM ASSOCIATION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT

(A BRIEF PROFILE)

1. The Association's name:

Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE)

2. Address :

• Office of VACNE

• 9th Floor, Trade Union Hotel

• 14 Tran Binh Trong, Hanoi, Vietnam

• Tel: 84-4-9420279, Fax: 84-4-8223189

• Email: vacne@fpt.vn

3. Organization:

VACNE has two offices (in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) and 43 Member Organizations directly affiliated to VACNE, including: 9 Institutes/Centers/ Companies, 15 Member Associations from line ministries institutions,  15 Local Associations, and 4 Member Associations of various social associations and individuals.

The current leadership of VACNE is as follows:   

                    President : Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh

                    Vice President : Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Truong

                    Vice President : Prof. Dr. Lam Minh Triet

                    Vice President : Dr. Tran Hong Ha

                    Vice President : Mr. Nguyen Dieu

4. Main activities of VACNE and its members:

Giving consultancy and critical assessment on Party and State activities in terms of science, technology and environment, namely:

• Participating in Appraisal Councils for a number of national and local important projects.

• Participating in developing strategies, and policies on science, technology and environment; drafting the Party’s Decree on environment protection.

• Participating in developing annual State of Environment Reports to submit to the National Assembly

• As a member of Vietnam’s Global Environment Fund (GEF), participating in appraising and approving project proposal for GEF assistance.

• Participating in inputting to the revision process of the Vietnam Law on Environmental Protection (2004)

Participating in scientific and technological research on environmental protection: VACNE, many Member Organizations and experts  of the Association have often taken part in scientific, technological and environmental projects at national, ministerial, branch and local levels.  Following are some projects or studies that VACNE and its Members have carried out in recent years: 

• Independent Report on the State of the Environment of Vietnam by VACNE in the form of the book "Vietnam - Environment and Life".(2003-2004)

• Community participation in natural conservation of protected areas and national park. A case study of Bach Ma National Park. (VACNE, 2002)

• The National contest on "Improving the use and protection of the water resource for secondary high school students". (VACNE in collaboration with the Newspaper "Science & Life", 2003-2004).

• A study on the commune/village model towards sustainable development. (VACNE, 2001-2003).

• Setting up of environmental indicators for Vietnam (VESDI, 1996-2000)

• Vietnam NGO report RIO+10 (VESDI, 2002)

• Environmental economics and water resources (VEEA, 2003)

• Environmental monitoring and services for the Red River Inland Waterway Transport System and the river segment through Hanoi city (ENTEC)

• Assessment of natural and environmental conditions for the Master plan of transportation system in Ho Chi Minh City and surroundings (ENTEC).

• Sustainable development planning for three representative transportation companies in Hanoi. (TRACONSEP).

• Fiber pandanus to prevent forest fire, desertation, soil erosion, and floods. (CSCSETT)

Producing magazines and publications on environment such as:

• The Magazine Green Vietnam (1995-1999)

• The Magazine Green Road (from 2000 up to now)

• The Bulletin The Journalist and Environment (from 2002 up to now)

• The selected works on environmental research, 5 books (1997-1998)

Establishing the VACNE Website Environment with Community (2004)

Producing a number of films on environment such as:

• Sao La, a secret of the nature ;

• The thousand's history of Cuc Phuong ;

• The season of birds migration ;

• Women of San Diu ethnic group with environmental protection activities ;

• Yen Quang and environmental activities ;

• Cleaner production and pollution prevention ;

• For a sustainable development ;

• Waste - problems still remain.

Organizing environmental exhibitions: Since 2000, the exhibition Painters and Environment has taken place annually on the World Environment Day.

Environmental awards:

• At 2001, the Award For the cause of environmental protection of VACNE was established. Since then, the award is offered every year and up to now, 45 collectives and individuals have been awarded for their outstanding activities in environmental protection.

• The Award Culture for Environment was established in 2001, too. It takes place ones for two years and a number of cultural activists have been awarded for their achievements in outreaching environmental protection awareness.

5. International relations:

VACNE is cooperating with a number of foreign and international organizations such as Sida (Sweden), DANIDA, World Bank, UNDP, IUCN, WWF, etc. In cooperation with these organizations, VACNE has successfully carried out a number of projects (some of them are mentioned above).

A number of Member Associations also have good relations with some international organizations and associations on environmental protection.