In the context of climate change and biodiversity loss posing major challenges to sustainable development, Hai Phong City has been striving to implement a wide range of integrated solutions to protect and restore natural ecosystems and conserve biodiversity. This is not only an urgent and immediate task but also a strategic orientation to build a green, civilized, and livable port city, contributing to the realization of green growth and sustainable development goals in line with national and international commitments.
Integrating Conservation into Development Planning
Hai Phong has proactively integrated environmental protection, nature conservation, and biodiversity conservation measures into its master plans. Notably, these elements have been incorporated into the Hai Phong City Master Plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 1516/QD-TTg dated December 2, 2023. This provides an important basis for the city to synchronously implement solutions ensuring socio-economic development in harmony with environmental protection and nature conservation.
Expanding Protected Areas and Applying Digital Transformation
The city has been developing and expanding its network of natural heritage sites, nature reserves, and international conservation designations. A key highlight is the promotion of digital transformation in biodiversity management. In 2022, the city approved a project to create and manage a database for biodiversity surveys and monitoring in the Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve. By 2023, Hai Phong continued developing its Environmental Information System and environmental database, including biodiversity data, which is expected to be completed by 2025. Once completed, this system will support integration and updates to national and sectoral biodiversity databases, effectively serving conservation management. At the same time, Hai Phong has focused on international cooperation in conservation. The city has formulated plans to collaborate with nature and cultural conservation organizations and the global network of biosphere reserves, and to develop branding for clean products under the “Cat Ba Archipelago World Biosphere Reserve” label, creating favorable conditions to attract investment and support conservation work.
Strengthening Protection of Wildlife and Rare Genetic Resources
To conserve endangered, rare, and precious wildlife species, the city has issued key directives such as Directive No. 08/CT-UBND dated February 9, 2021, on the management of invasive alien species, and Directive No. 11/CT-UBND dated July 26, 2022, on the conservation of wild and migratory birds. Activities to control the trade and exploitation of wild and migratory species have been intensified following the Prime Minister’s guidance. As a result, the city has successfully rescued many rare and precious wildlife individuals, including six endangered forest animal species, released one big-headed turtle back into the wild, and seized 369 birds of various species along with equipment for hunting wild birds. Additionally, the conservation of rare agricultural genetic resources has been a focus. Hai Phong has preserved and developed many native plant and animal breeds such as Lien Minh chicken, Tran Chau mountain goat, Cao Nhan areca palm, Gia Luan citrus, Nep Cai Hoa Vang sticky rice, Hong Dao pomelo, and Lam Dong pomelo. The application of biotechnology in restoring local specialty varieties, combined with branding and geographical indication development, has helped enhance the value of agricultural products and promote green agricultural economic development.
Promoting Natural Ecosystem Restoration
To restore degraded ecosystems, Hai Phong has implemented various projects for planting mangrove forests, coastal protection forests, riverbank forests, and upstream watershed forests. The city strictly protects 13,250 hectares of existing forests while maintaining newly planted forest projects, contributing to expanding forest belts, increasing forest cover, and safeguarding biodiversity. Hai Phong also applies information technology in forestry management, such as programming automated tools for extracting forestry maps using Mapinfo software, transferring forest inventory maps to Google Maps for monitoring forest changes, building software for searching information on endangered wildlife and related penalties, and developing a geographic information system for the forestry sector. Notably, the city is implementing the Sustainable Forestry Development Program for 2022–2025 with the goal of contributing to the national project to plant one billion trees for 2021–2025. Every year, Hai Phong launches tree-planting campaigns, spreading the message of environmental protection and green development within the community.
Towards a Green Future
These achievements demonstrate Hai Phong’s determination to protect natural ecosystems and conserve biodiversity in tandem with green growth. However, to achieve sustainable goals, the city must continue mobilizing the unified participation of the political system, communities, and businesses; strengthen international cooperation; and accelerate the application of science and technology, especially digital technology, in management and monitoring.
With its strategy and integrated solutions, Hai Phong is steadily building the image of a modern, green, environmentally friendly port city, deserving to be a model in fulfilling Vietnam’s commitments at international forums on climate change, biodiversity, and green growth.