International seminar "Environmental Security: From Theory to Policy and Practice"

In her opening remarks at the seminar, Associate Professor Tran Thi Minh Hoa emphasized that this seminar would lay the groundwork for experts from the Institute of Policy and Management to continue exploring new research directions, interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and to expand the forum and research network among scholars and scientists on environmental issues in Vietnam.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hoa, Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, delivered the opening remarks at the seminar.

Associate Professor Dr. Huynh Thanh Nha, Member of the Executive Committee of the Party Committee of the State Agencies and Trade Unions Bloc, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Rector of Can Tho University of Technology, also affirmed that the specific and practical orientations, programs, and plans aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability and responding to and adapting to climate change, as outlined in the seminar, will serve as a basis for promoting scientific research activities. From there, environmental protection requirements will be integrated into strategies, plans, programs, and projects for socio-economic development, thereby strengthening environmental management capacity and developing policies for sustainable development.

Associate Professor Dr. Huynh Thanh Nha, Member of the Executive Committee of the Party Committee of the State Agencies and Trade Unions Bloc, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Rector of Can Tho University of Technology, delivered a welcoming speech.

Attending the seminar were over 70 delegates, including policymakers from ministries, local departments and agencies, and leading experts and scientists from universities, research institutes, and leading research centers on policy and environment such as: Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Institute of Strategy, Policy and Resources and Environment, Vietnam Academy of Agriculture, Can Tho University, Can Tho University of Technology, Regional Academy of Politics IV, Can Tho Vocational College, Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment…

Colonel Luong Van Ben, Deputy Director of the Can Tho City Police, along with numerous representatives from the Department of Science and Technology and the Can Tho City Military Command, also paid close attention to the research issues raised at the seminar. These arguments serve as a basis for formulating environmental security policies at the local level.

At the seminar, eight reports were presented, along with more than 20 opinions and comments on environmental security issues, solutions, and policies. In particular, the seminar heard the opening report by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi - Standing Vice President of the Vietnam Fisheries Association - on "Ensuring Vietnam's Environmental Security in the International and Regional Context," which opened the morning session on theoretical issues of environmental security in the context of economic, ecological, and social transformation. The report sparked many discussions, from theory to practice, on environmental security. In the afternoon session, reports focused on prospects and specific case studies at the local level, such as the issue of tourism and environmental security in Can Tho City, presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hoa presented projects such as "Building a map of salinity evolution and assessing groundwater quality in the coastal areas of the Mekong Delta" and "The influence of hydrogeological factors on riverbank stability," etc. The policy implications and solutions proposed by the authors were highly appreciated by local policymakers and are likely to be applied in practice.

Also at the seminar, the Institute of Policy and Management introduced the book "Prospects for economic, ecological, and social transformation in Vietnam: From practice to policy.This publication compiles articles presented at international seminars organized by the Institute within the framework of the cooperation project on “Economic, Ecological and Social Transformation” (abbreviated as SEET) with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Southeast Asia in 2018 and 2019. It is the first publication in Vietnam on the topic of economic, ecological and social transformation, edited by Assoc. Prof. Dr., Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Thanh - Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Deputy Minister of Public Security; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Thanh Truong – Director of the Institute of Policy and Management, Head of the Faculty of Management Science; and Mr. Philip Degenhardt – Regional Director of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Southeast Asia.

Concluding the seminar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Thanh Truong and Mr. Philip Degenhardt emphasized that the research process and approach to the issue of economic, ecological, and social transformation will continue to expand and develop on the foundation of the cooperation project with the Rosa Luxemburg Institute in Southeast Asia. The Institute for Policy and Management expects to continue receiving the attention and support of experts and policymakers in research activities on economic, ecological, and social transformation in Vietnam in the future.