Responding to the World Ocean Day and deploying the Vietnam’s Sea and Island Week every year is an opportunity for coastal localities to commit for protecting the sea and islands, promoting the strength of the sea and islands for economic development; preserving great values of the sea and ocean.
Reducing plastic waste is an important message of the Vietnam’s Sea and Island Week 2019.
* Many activities for pervasion
As a country having great sea potentials with over 3,260km of coastline, 2 islands Hoang Sa and Truong Sa and more than 3,000 large and small islands, Vietnam has always been a responsible member in compliance with the international law, commitments and active response to international marine events.
The Vietnam’s Sea and Island Week is stipulated in the Law on Marine and Island Resources and Environment (No. 82/2015/QH13 on 25/6/2015). Every year, the country always organizes many activities to respond to the World Ocean Day.
Up to now, Vietnam had 10 times holding the Vietnam Sea and Island Week and obtained positive results. Within the framework of the event week, many activities were taken place across the country.
The authorities organize many activities to pervade and influence strongly community; encourage and facilitate the activities of sustainable exploitation and use of natural resources for environmental protection of the sea and islands. Activities in this week also contribute to condemn actions of exploiting and using indiscriminately and destroying natural resources, polluting the marine and island environment; control waste collection, transportation and treatment in coastal areas and on islands.
The Government also encourages activities such as construction and handover of environmental protection works for interest of community such as planting trees to block sand, prevent erosion and prevent saline intrusion; implement environmental criteria in building new rural areas, support people to adapt to climate change.
This is an opportunity for all people to express their will and determination to protect the sea and islands environmental resources; implement the strategic objectives of developing the marine economy; make it to become a strong country on the sea; contribute to firmly protect the sovereignty of the country on the sea and islands.
* The year of 2019: Cope with plastic waste
Reducing plastic waste is an important message in the theme of the Vietnam’s Sea and Island Week 2019.
Waste in general and plastic waste in particular has been being the most problematic issue in the ocean today. According to scientists' estimation, the amount of plastic waste by 2050 in the oceans, will be heavier than the weight of the fish. Vietnam is ranked 17 out of 109 countries with high level of pollution from plastic waste in the world. Meanwhile, no specific mechanism or plan for actions to reduce plastic waste into the ocean is established. There are no clear regulations on marine waste management, especially plastic waste.
Particularly, there is still a lack of information to assess the impacts of marine plastic waste on the environment, economy, health, safety of people and social values in coastal areas. In addition, although Vietnam has relatively adequate legal documents relating to the management of waste and plastic waste, the implementation is not so strict so that it does not reduce plastic waste at sea.
Scientists and managers say that in order to achieve the goal of reducing plastic waste at sea, Vietnam needs to have clear and specific policies for each region. In order to control plastic waste at sea, it is necessary to develop regulations to control the use and discharge of plastic materials during human activities nationwide. Plastic waste is a problem which forcing the country to face with and no plan to handle with it available. Therefore, propaganda to raise awareness of all levels, sectors, organizations, individuals, communities and businesses about the harmful impacts of plastic waste must be put on top. This is also the highlight of the Sea and Island Week 2019 which will be held in Bac Lieu with its main events taken place on May 30 and June 1.
K.Linh