Restoring And Sustainably Developing Forests.
Source: Báo Mới.
Source: Báo Mới.
The International Day of Forests (March 21) was established by the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012, and was first celebrated in 2013. Since then, the event has been held annually, with a different theme each year.
The theme for the International Day of Forests in 2024 is “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World.” It emphasizes the need to restore, develop, protect, manage, and use forests sustainably through advancements in science, technology, and innovation.
Additionally, forest protection is no longer solely the responsibility of authorities, organizations, and agencies; it requires the involvement of the entire community. Protecting forests is not just about patrols and monitoring but also involves innovative approaches to forest restoration, creating sustainable livelihoods for forest-dependent communities, planting more trees, and raising awareness about wildlife conservation.
Forests provide resources, generate oxygen, capture carbon, preserve genetic resources, mitigate storms, prevent soil erosion, and ensure human life and health. Forests are also shelters and sources of food and water for wildlife.
With a total area of 14.7 million hectares and a forest cover rate of over 42%, forests occupy a vast living space in Vietnam, particularly in mountainous, remote, and isolated areas, home to nearly 20 million people living in and around forests.
Planting and protecting forests and increasing forest cover have become key indicators for evaluating sustainable development in nations.
The Prime Minister has issued a decision to approve the “1 Billion Trees Planting Program” for the 2021-2025 period, aiming to mobilize efforts to plant, care for, and protect nearly 700 million dispersed trees in urban and rural areas and over 300 million concentrated forest trees.
As of now, nearly 770 million trees have been planted nationwide, reaching 121% of the target. This has contributed to providing stable raw materials for processing and export industries, maintaining a forest cover rate of over 42%.
In 2023, Vietnam achieved a significant milestone by successfully completing the procedures for transferring 10.3 million tons of carbon emission reductions to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility through the World Bank, valued at nearly VND 1,200 billion.
Vietnam has been an active member of the global community in protecting and sustainably developing forests. At the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021, the Prime Minister pledged that Vietnam would strive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, participate in the Global Methane Pledge, and implement the Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
On August 24, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 993/QĐ-TTg approving the National Plan to implement the Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use by 2030.
This plan aims to contribute directly to the sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas, greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, and climate change adaptation. It also focuses on biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, transitioning to a green and circular economy, promoting sustainable livelihoods for local communities, ensuring food security, and protecting the environment.
By 2025, Vietnam aims to strictly manage its existing natural forest areas, minimize the conversion of natural forests to other purposes, and gradually reduce forest and land degradation. By 2030, the country strives to effectively eliminate deforestation, forest resource degradation, land degradation, and desertification.
These efforts aim to harmonize sustainable agricultural and forestry production with rural development, effectively contributing to the implementation of Vietnam’s nationally determined commitments to greenhouse gas emission reduction.
Additionally, Vietnam aspires to restore and improve the quality of 10% of its degraded natural forests by 2025 and 20% by 2030. This will help reduce the proportion of degraded natural forest areas, increase the proportion of medium and rich natural forests, and enhance biodiversity conservation, protective capabilities, economic productivity, and sustainability of planted forests and agricultural crops.
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