Ho Chi Minh City, 24 January 2024: ERIA and the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) under the Viet Nam Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment hosted a training workshop on circular economy for the Southern region as part of an ongoing series of training workshops for provincial officials.

The training workshop aimed to introduce and raise awareness among local officials from different provinces in the Southern part of Viet Nam with valuable training and knowledge to enhance their understanding of the circular economy and improve their capabilities in policymaking and decision-making, particularly after the issuance of the National Action Plan on Circular Economy in 2024.

Around 60 participants from relevant governmental agencies, namely the Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; Department of Construction; Department of Transportation; Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs; Department of Finance; Department of Industry and Trade of the provinces in the Southern region, attended the event, along with many related institutes and universities.

After delivering the opening remarks, Dr Mai Thanh Dung, Vice President of ISPONRE, Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, ERIA's Director of Research Strategy and Innovation, and Associate Professor Dr Pham Khanh Nam, Director of the Economy and Environment Partnership for Southeast Asia, led the sessions of the training workshop.

During the training workshop, participants were introduced to various topics, including the legal framework and policy on the circular economy in Viet Nam; the global context of circular economy and the importance of local governments; orientation and recommendations for implementing circular economy in the Southern region; methods and indicators for measuring circular economy at the provincial level; some results of circular economy measurement in Viet Nam; introducing a software for managing a set of circular economy assessment indicators.

Additionally, the participants enthusiastically discussed financial and human resources as well as policies to propagate, expand, and raise awareness for understanding and implementing circular economy, particularly at provincial levels. Some also mentioned agricultural waste, the need for circular economy models in agricultural areas, and alternatives to corporate income tax.

Almost all participants emphasised the request for an appropriate tool for monitoring and evaluating a set of indicators at the provincial levels. The Viet Nam National Action Plan on Circular Economy, which is expected to be approved this year, indicated that provinces and localities built their specific indicators, including general indicators and specific indicators. The appropriate tool or software could allow the provincial authorities to justify their indicators according to their local characteristics when implementing a circular economy as prescribed in relevant regulations.

During the breakout sessions, participants stressed that sustained commitment, systemic thinking, and cooperative action between a wide range of stakeholders are indispensable for unlocking the potential of the circular economy in Viet Nam, particularly at the local level.

The workshop marked the kick-off of the training sessions to circulate necessary knowledge and best practices for policymakers to build a successful action plan for their localities. In the closing session, the participants were awarded the certificate of participation.