People's Committee of Hai Phong City announced the foundation of "Prize Fund for Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve Sustainable Development Initiatives" on May 12th. Co-operation documents were also signed by the Committee and "The Man and the Biosphere" Programme (MAB Vietnam - UNESCO Vietnam), aiming at sustainable development of the world's Cat Ba Islands Biosphere Reserve.
Cat Ba will be the first biosphere reserve in the southeast Asia to apply the initiative "Using biosphere reserves as training laboratory for sustainable development". This development model will hamonise environment protection and environment-friendly economic development; implement 3R Initiative (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and sustainable development with the participation of socio-economic sectors, particularly private sector in environment protection.
On the occasion, Viet - Nhat Steel Incorporation signed an agreement funding the MAB Programme annually in 10 years to support the "Vietnam Biosphere" Programe, to improve capacity of biosphere reserves in Vietnam.
Source: Nhan Dan Online
Edited and translated by TITC