The Politburo-issued Resolution No. 41 on environmental protection during the period of industrialisation and modernization sets out a solution to increase budget spending for environmental protection activities by no less than 1% of the total annual budget spending. And the spending level gradually increases according to the growth rate of the national economy.

Costs for environmental treatment at the Khanh Son leachate treatment station have just been approved by the municipal authorities. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Da Nang has concretised the abovementioned requirements in recent years through huge resources allocated from the budget and capital mobilised from organizations and investors to protect and improve environmental quality, thereby ensuring the health of people and tourists.

Between 2008 and 2020, Da Nang mobilised about VND 14 trillion to build an environmental city. Under the project “Building Da Nang into an Environmentally Friendly City” for the 2021-2030 period, the city targets to increase the budget expenditure ratio for environmental protection activities from 2% to over 3% of the total city budget expenditure. In particular, the target is to increase this ratio to 3.7% in 2025 and 3.8% in 2030.

In recent years, the city's budget expenditure ratio for environmental protection activities has been much higher than the set target. Accordingly, Da Nang has allocated a large part of the local budget to invest in many environmental protection projects such as leachate treatment plants, wastewater collection and treatment systems, and modern waste transfer stations. More than VND 1,021 billion and over VND968 billion were poured into in environmental protection works in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

In addition, Da Nang has allocated a significant amount of budget to operate invested environmental protection works to ensure standards and improve environmental quality. The total regular expenditure for environmental protection (including the budget for operating environmental protection works) increased sharply from VND 347.566 billion in 2022 to VND 535.836 billion in 2024. Notably, the city expects to spend VND 576.035 billion in regular expenditure, the highest ever, on environmental protection activities in 2025.

Recently, the municipal People's Council agreed on the budget estimate for the management and operation of the Son Tra Wastewater Treatment Plant at the phase 2 for a period of 5 years (from 2025-2029) with a total amount of VND 131.92 billion (an average of more than VND 26.38 billion/year). The budget estimate for the management and operation of the Khanh Son leachate treatment system at phase 1 from 2025-2027 is VND 111.214 billion (an average of more than VND 37.07 billion/year).

This demonstrates the city's attention and large resources for environmental protection, thereby improving and enhancing environmental quality, and ensuring the health of people and tourists as the goal of the project "Building Da Nang into an Environmentally Friendly City" during the 2021-2030 period”.

In 2025, the city will allocate a total of over VND 824.7 billion for environmental protection activities, of which VND 248.67 billion will be poured into the construction of environmental protection works such as upgrading and renovating some items of Khanh Son Solid Waste Treatment Complex Phase 2 (garbage compartment No. 7); constructing and installing a waste transfer station in Cam Le District; and building a new centralized wastewater treatment plant in Hoa Khanh Industrial Park (Phase 2) with a treatment capacity of 5,000m3/day.

The city will continue to allocate operating funds for Son Tra wastewater treatment plant in the coming time. Photo: HOANG HIEP

In Decision No. 483/QD-UBND dated February 19, 2025 of the Da Nang People's Committee on the list of approved projects and the order of priority for implementation in the coming time, from now until 2030, the city continues to allocate the budget to invest in modern waste transfer stations in districts; technical infrastructure of the Solid Waste Treatment Complex in the west of the city; and ash and slag landfill at the Khanh Son Solid Waste Treatment Complex.

At the same time, heed will be on completing the wastewater collection and treatment system, such as the wastewater collection pipeline along the Tuyen Son - Tuy Loan riverside road, from Do Bridge to National Highway 14B; Hoa Cuong pumping station and the wastewater collection and transfer pipeline system to the Hoa Xuan wastewater treatment station; wastewater collection system in resettlement areas in Hoa Son and Hoa Lien communes in Hoa Vang District, and Hoa Khanh Bac Ward in Lien Chieu District to the Lien Chieu wastewater treatment station; construction of wastewater collection systems along Nguyen Tat Thanh Street and in Nam O area; and construction of wastewater collection systems in Hoa Quy and wastewater treatment stations in Hoa Vang District.

The city also continues to call for investment in solid waste treatment plants; hazardous waste treatment plants; sludge treatment plants; and construction waste treatment plants to mobilize resources to protect the environment.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP - Translating by M.DUNG