United Nations Poverty-Environment Initiative

Basic facts of the PEI in Vietnam

Project Name: Harmonizing Poverty Reduction and Environmental Goals in Policy and Planning for Sustainable Development
Time frame: 2005-2009
Implementing Partner: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam
Total fund: 3,700,000 USD
International Donors: UNDP: 1,400,000 USD, DFID: 2,000,000 USD
Government of Viet Nam: 300,000 USD
Pilot provinces: Ha Tay and Ha Tinh

The context of mainstreaming environment in Vietnam

Environmental conditions have a significant impact on the livelihoods, health and security of poor and vulnerable groups – in particular women and children – and better environmental management is key to poverty reduction, sustainable growth and attainment of Viet Nam’s Development Goals.
The Government of Viet Nam has made considerable progress in establishing an overall strategic framework for sustainable development, including the National Orientation Strategy on Sustainable Development (National Agenda 21), the National Strategy for Environmental Protection and Vision until 2020 (NSEP) and the Comprehensive Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (CPRGS).
Important policy and institutional gaps still remain, and significant capacity constraints at all levels of society threaten to undermine strategy implementation and the achievement of sustainable development outcomes.
These strategic frameworks need to be fully consistent with the Socio-Economic Development Strategy (SEDS) 2001-2010, and linkages between sector strategies need to be strengthened, for example, in the Socio- Economic Development Plan 2006-2010.
This requires expanded efforts to mainstream environmental and sustainable natural resource use concerns into sector strategies and sector development planning. Similarly, poverty reduction concerns need to be mainstreamed into environmental and natural resource management policies and activities.

Main activities of PEI-Vietnam

The project has four focal areas: forestry, fisheries, renewable energy and natural resources and environment. The main activities of PEI VIET NAM are:
Improving knowledge and awareness within government and civil society of barriers, capacities and opportunities for natural resource use and environmental protection to contribute to national goals, targets and strategies for poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Strengthening institutional capacity to monitor and report on poverty-environment indicators and outcomes, and to use this data effectively.
Strengthening institutional mechanisms and capacity to integrate poverty reduction and environmental concerns into development policy and planning frameworks.
Strengthening capacity in MONRE to set strategic priorities and develop policy and legal instruments that encourage environmental protection and natural resource use and support poverty reduction and improved equality.
Strengthening institutional capacity of MONRE to coordinate donor support within a programmatic framework, regarding natural resource use and environmental protection, and links to poverty reduction.

What has been achieved to date?

PEI VIET NAM conducted ten participatory case studies to improve knowledge and awareness of how good natural resource and environmental management has contributed to poverty reduction.
Monitoring of poverty-environment indicators has improved through a review of existing indicators, developing a comprehensive list of indicators, and development of a Monitoring and Evaluation Manual.
Strengthened capacity of MONRE to coordinate donor support within a programmatic framework
Site visits to the UK and Tanzania were to gain knowledge and experience of lessons learned on poverty-environment mainstreaming in other countries.
Communication has been strengthened through developing a communication network of 130 members including Government officials from various Ministries, to provide better support to the development of partnerships between Government donors and civil society in addressing poverty-environment issues.
Production of documents and reports, and the development of the project website (www.povertyandenvironment.vn), completion of essay writing and photo contests on poverty and environment.
Piloting of environmental regulations, solid waste and clean water cooperatives, and organic agriculture in My commune, Ha Tinh province and in Co Do commune, Ha Tay province.

Lessons learned

Collaboration among line Ministries is the key for successfully integrating poverty-environment concerns into policies and planning
Participation of line Ministries in the implementation of the project is important for mainstreaming poverty-environment issues into sector planning and implementation
Demonstration models are required for effective dissemination of project results.

Key documents for PEI Vietnam

Way forward

Piloting the Policy and Investment Model
Models will be piloted in Ha Tay and replicated in 2008-2009 in Ha Nam and Ninh Thuan Provinces, with improved policy support at Provincial level to ensure sustainability.

Strengthening mechanisms and capacity to integrate P-E concerns into policy/planning frameworks
Implementation of Tender Package No. 4: “Support to enhance capacity to integrate poverty-environment concerns into national and provincial plans, to develop pro-poor economic instruments, and to build partnerships for environmental protection”. Under the Tender Package, poverty-environment issues will be identified for inclusion in the implementation of current socio-economic development plans, and in the preparation of forestry, fisheries, renewable energy and environment sector plans.