In order to clarify solutions to remove institutional bottlenecks in attracting green finance and enhance the capacity of the business community, a reporter from VNA (Vietnam News Agency) had an interview with Dr. Nguyen Dinh Dap, an expert in environmental research and sustainable development.
Sir, in practice, many coastal localities are revealing a conflict between the demands of industrial, tourism , and logistics development and the preservation of coastal ecosystems. Looking at it from the perspective of Resolution 20-NQ/TW, how should this balancing act be resolved?
The conflict between economic development and marine environmental protection is a global issue, not unique to Vietnam. Coastal urbanization and intensive resource exploitation in recent years have directly pressured coral reef ecosystems, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests.
In my opinion, we need to change our approach: economic development and marine ecosystem conservation should not be viewed as two opposing goals, but rather placed within the framework of integrated governance, based on science , data, and ecological limits. Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW clearly defines the requirement to shift from marine exploitation to modern marine governance; from sectoral management to integrated, unified governance of the national marine space; and resolutely reject sacrificing the environment for mere economic growth.
A crucial tool for realizing this vision is the National Marine Spatial Planning. This planning needs to be reviewed, updated, and effectively implemented, clearly identifying priority areas for conservation, ecosystem restoration, economic development, and multi-purpose exploitation. The placement of industrial activities, seaports, logistics, tourism, or aquaculture must be based on the environmental carrying capacity and recovery potential of each marine area.
Therefore, balancing development and conservation does not mean restricting development, but rather improving the quality of growth, ensuring that Vietnam is truly strong, prosperous, and sustainably developed from the sea.
Transitioning to a blue economy requires substantial long-term investment. However, businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are struggling to access "green finance." In your opinion, what are the biggest institutional bottlenecks that need to be addressed to attract these resources?
In my opinion, the biggest bottleneck currently is the lack of a synchronized blue-market financial ecosystem capable of translating sustainable development orientations into concrete projects that meet the requirements for capital mobilization. Although Vietnam has issued a Green Classification List, the technical criteria and verification procedures for many marine economic activities still need further clarification to address the difficulties in identifying, evaluating, and proving a project is truly "green".
Furthermore, offshore wind power projects, green ports, high-tech aquaculture, and ecosystem restoration projects often involve large capital investments, long payback periods, and high risks, while domestic credit sources are primarily short-term. Many projects also lack reliable data, methods for measuring environmental effectiveness, and mechanisms for monitoring, reporting, and verification. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the difficulties are even greater due to a lack of collateral, limitations in project development capacity, and the inability to meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements.
Therefore, I believe it is necessary to refine the criteria for blue-water finance; build a portfolio of projects eligible for capital mobilization; develop long-term credit, blue-water bonds, and hybrid finance. At the same time, the State needs to have mechanisms for guarantees, interest rate support, and genuine risk sharing with businesses. This is also a requirement emphasized in Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW to unlock and effectively utilize resources for the development of a strong maritime nation.
The concept of "modern maritime governance" is seen as key to realizing the aspiration of a strong maritime nation. From a practical perspective, what kind of transformation does adapting to this new governance approach require from the business community, sir?
Modern marine governance is not only about innovating the State's management methods, but also requires businesses to shift from a purely resource-exploitation mindset to the efficient, responsible, and sustainable use of marine space. In line with Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW, marine governance must be based on science, technology, digital data, inter-sectoral coordination, and the participation of the State, businesses, and the community.
For the business community, the first change is the digitization of operational processes. The application of information technology in seafood traceability, automated wastewater monitoring, and optimizing port logistics chains are clear manifestations of modern management capabilities. The second change lies in transparency and data sharing. Businesses operating in the marine environment need to proactively provide monitoring data to regulatory agencies and adopt sustainable development reporting standards. When businesses proactively upgrade their internal management capabilities towards circular economy and reducing ocean plastic waste, they not only meet legal regulations but also enhance brand reputation and meet stringent technical barriers when exporting goods to international markets.
To achieve the strategic goals by 2030 and the vision for 2045, what specific policy recommendations does he have to create a favorable environment that will help businesses confidently participate in investing in and developing the marine economy?
In my opinion, first and foremost, it is necessary to continue improving the institutional framework and effectively implementing the National Maritime Spatial Planning; clearly defining the rights to access, exploit, and utilize maritime space, thereby creating stability and transparency for businesses to develop long-term investment plans. This is the most important "digital map" to give investors peace of mind when establishing projects.
Secondly, the Green Classification List needs to be concretized into technical criteria suitable for each marine sector, such as offshore renewable energy, green seaports, high-tech aquaculture, ecotourism, and ecosystem restoration. Based on this, a list of green marine projects with sufficient data, legal documentation, and return on investment potential should be formed to connect with banks, investment funds, and capital markets.
Thirdly, it is necessary to diversify capital mobilization tools, including long-term green credit, green ocean bonds, green investment funds, public-private partnerships, and hybrid finance. State resources need to play a leading role, acting as "seed capital," supporting guarantees, interest rates, and implementing a genuine risk-sharing mechanism with businesses, in line with the spirit of Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW.
Simultaneously, it is necessary to build a system for data collection, measurement, reporting, and verification of environmental effectiveness; support businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, in improving their ESG governance capacity and project preparation. Finally, Vietnam needs to proactively attract resources from climate funds, development finance institutions, and international investors.
When macroeconomic policies are synchronized and compliance costs are optimized, the business community will be well-positioned to transform natural advantages into genuine competitiveness, directly contributing to the goal of making Vietnam a sustainably prosperous and thriving maritime nation.
Thank you very much, sir!
Ngoc Quynh
(Reported by VNA)
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Final article: Coastal cities seize the opportunity to become new growth poles.
Source: https://btgdv.cantho.gov.vn/vi/news/bien-gioi-bien-dao-viet-nam/lam-chu-khong-gian-de-tro-thanh-quoc-gia-bien-manh-bai-4-giai-quyet-xung-dot-giua-phat-trien-kinh-te-va-bao-ve-moi-truong-bien-4683.html
