 Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh answers NA deputies' questions. (Photo: quochoi.vn) |
Questions focused on the implementation of policies and laws on water security, measures against drought, saline intrusion, water shortage, depletion, and pollution, as well as the use of natural resources as building materials and rare natural resources and minerals.
In response to NA deputies’ questions about the impact of sea sand mining on nature conservation and marine biodiversity, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Dang Quoc Khanh, said: "The exploitation and use of marine resources across various industries and sectors, along with investment projects in tourism, industry, and coastal urban areas, all require a thorough environmental impact assessment to ensure minimal impact on the marine environment, marine ecosystem, shipping, maritime activities, and aquaculture."
"To solve these overlapping issues, the National Marine Plan has employed zoning, spatial development orientation, and planning linked with sector-specific and coastal locality planning. It’s necessary to implement planning to address these challenges, while simultaneously promoting economic development and safeguarding the environment," he added.
Asked about ways to more effectively disseminate laws and policies on Vietnam’s sea and islands, Minister Khanh said: "Disseminating the law and fostering a sense of responsibility among people is very important. Therefore, the entire political system must be involved in this work. Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has collaborated with the Association of the Elderly, the Veterans Association, the Vietnam Women's Union, and localities to educate the public about state laws and policies, aiming to provide people with information pertaining to legal and regulated fishing."
Regarding water security, drought, and water resource degradation, the Minister said that climate change significantly impacts Vietnam, severely affecting water resources. The government has issued directives to intensify afforestation, forest protection, and efficient water resource utilization, as well as strategic resource planning, river basin management to optimize water utilization.