Building and proposing a set of criteria and models for eco-industrial parks, green urban areas, and green parks serve as a foundation for project planning and urban planning, and designing models with a focus on sustainable development, aligning with the city planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050. This contributes to achieving the goals of the project "Building Da Nang into an environmentally-friendly city".

Dr. Dang Quang Hai was honoured with a Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the municipal People's Committee for the 2023 Da Nang Environmental Award. Photo: Van Hoang

Decision No. 1287/QD-TTg by the Prime Minister, approving the Da Nang planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050, aims to make the city an eco-friendly, modern, and smart urban area.

To achieve this, urban and residential areas must ensure greenery, cleanliness, and beauty, whilst industrial clusters and parks must be green and eco-friendly, aiming towards a circular economy under the NET Zero goal (reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero).

Additionally, the project "Building Da Nang into an environmentally friendly city" for the period 2021-2030 has added and refined many important goals, including positioning Da Nang as an eco-friendly, liveable city. This is seen as a consistent objective in the city's development direction.

In 2023, the Biotechnology Centre under the municipal Department of Science and Technology implemented and completed the task of surveying, assessing the current state, and proposing the development of eco-industrial park models, green urban areas, and green parks, led by Dr Dang Quang Hai. This task was carried out according to the city's plan for implementing the abovementioned project.

According to Dr Dang Quang Hai, the construction of three sets of criteria for eco-industrial parks, green urban areas, and green parks is necessary as a basis for application, assessment, classification, and recognition of these models, moving towards sustainable development. Researching the green urban criteria contributes to the implementation of urban development strategies in Viet Nam in general and in Da Nang in particular. It promotes the formation and development of new urban projects in a green, sustainable direction, capable of responding to climate change, contributing to real green urban growth and sustainable development, and creating a quality living environment.

The green park criteria serve as a tool to assess and recognise green parks, contributing to the strategies for green space development and green urban areas in a sustainable direction, promoting the formation and development of green parks, creating quality green spaces that meet the living needs, and ensure the physical and mental health of residents. This also fosters a bonded, civilised community with a responsible lifestyle towards the environment and ecosystem.

Dr Dang Quang Hai added that besides the three sets of criteria, the research group also proposed models for eco-industrial parks, green urban areas, and green parks for Da Nang. The criteria and models have high practical value and can be widely applied across the city. They are meticulously constructed based on assessments of the city's current state, incorporating references and applying existing regulations of Vietnam and international standards, as well as consulting experts, leaders, and managers. These are entirely new sets of criteria and models that have not been proposed before.

The municipal Department of Science and Technology has sent the results of the project under "Building Da Nang into an environmentally friendly city" to relevant agencies and units for reference and application.

"We are continuing to conduct surveys and evaluate the criteria for eco-industrial parks at the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, and research and propose solutions to transform the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park into an eco-industrial park," said Dr Dang Quang Hai.

Dr Dang Ngoc Minh, Deputy Director of the Biotechnology Centre, stated that with the efforts of the project leader, the research group, and the support of experts, scientists, and managers, the task was accepted by the end of 2023 with satisfactory results and high appreciation.

Notably, Dr Dang Quang Hai was honoured to receive a Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the municipal People's Committee for the 2023 Da Nang Environmental Award.

In 2024, the centre will continue to be assigned to conduct more in-depth evaluations of the criteria for eco-industrial parks. The centre has been mobilising resources to implement, review, and adjust the criteria and models of eco-industrial parks when applied at Hoa Khanh Industrial Park.

The set of criteria for eco-industrial parks focuses on three groups (investors, industrial parks, businesses) and four areas (management, economy, environment, society) with 35 criteria and 57 indicators; the green urban criteria include four areas (environment, economy, society, policy) with 27 criteria and 77 indicators; and the green park criteria include 18 criteria and 40 indicators.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by TRUC VY