Green growth – A sustainable development path

Green growth is considered as an important part of sustainable development to ensure a rapid economic growth, and contribute effectively to coping with climate change. At the 6^th international conference of Green Technology Research and Management Association recently held at Thu Dau Mot University, scientific reported helped managers make solutions for the effective implementation of green growth, sustainable development.

Participants learned about models of biotechnology applications at the conference

Many efforts

National Strategy for Green Growth approved by the Prime Minister in 2012 set out three important tasks, such as: Reducing the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging clean energy, renewable energy, green production. Implementing the strategy of "clean industrialization" through reviewing and adjusting the existing sectorial planning, efficient use of resource saving, encouraging the development of green industry, green agriculture with sectorial structure, technology and equipment must ensure the principle of environmental friendliness and investment in the development of natural capital. Proactively preventing and tackling pollution, developing green lifestyles and promoting sustainable consumption.

Due to climate changes, natural resource exhaustion affecting negatively people’s life, sustainable development policy has become a prioritized objective of most countries in the world. With three main pillars of sustainable economic, social and environmental development, Vietnam has attempted to deploy the national strategy for green growth and has got remarkable results, contributed to the international effort to respond to climate changes.

In recent years, socio-economic development of Binh Duong Province has happened rapidly and stably towards industry - services; infrastructure has been strongly invested, environmental issues have been paid much attention. However, compared with the requirements of the knowledge economy and integration process, socio-economic growth of the province still encounters many challenges. In particular, the fields of environment, sustainable development need more attention in order for Binh Duong Province to become a city directly under the Central and a smart city by 2020.

At the 6^th International Conference of Green Technology Research and Management Association, scientists presented many scientific reports focusing on ​​green technology and green management for environmental pollution control, waste and wastewater treatment, cleaner production and efficient energy use, urban environmental management and industrial parks, environmental protection in agricultural production and rural development.

Practical contributions

According to scientists, traffic is one source of environmental pollutants, especially in areas having heavy traffic. To develop green growth and sustainable development, regarding transport sector, the employment of Sutton model will measure pollutant concentrations. This will help managers assess whether the air is polluted or not. To give specific evidences for this research, the scientists selected Highway 13 crossing Binh Duong Province. Accordingly, at present, Binh Duong has a high economic growth, rapid urbanization pace, the number of vehicles running on Binh Duong routes, especially on Highway 13, is increasing. Highway 13 starts from Vinh Binh bridge (the boundary between Binh Duong and HCMC) to Tham Rot bridge (the boundary between Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc), is 64,1km long with good-quality road base. This highway leads into crowded urban areas of TDM City, Ben Cat Town and the entrance of important industrial zones, such as VSIP I, II, Viet Huong, My Phuoc, Bau Bang…

To assess the air pollution level of Highway 13 caused by traffic on this route, a research team, including lecturers: Huynh Anh Tuyet Nguyen, Dinh Quang Toan, Nguyen Thi Khanh Tuyen and Huynh Thi Kim Yen of Thu Dau Mot University, applied the Sutton model. The results showed that the pollutant concentrations in rainy and dry seasons were within the permitted limits of QCVN 05: 2013/BTNMT, demonstrated that traffic activities on this highway have not affected the quality of air environment.

Meanwhile, regarding agricultural sector, to facilitate rural development for green growth and sustainable development, the protection of plants and animals is one issue that needs much attention. Research on the use of biotechnology in agriculture, MSc. Nguyen Anh Dung (Thu Dau Mot University), who has studied the antagonistic ability of Trichoderma (Tr) fungus with pink mushroom on rubber trees, asserted that pink mushroom was a dangerous disease on rubber trees, because it would affect negatively leaves, the latex amount and cause plant death.

It can be seen that the extensive use of chemical drugs not only is affecting the environment, people's health but also is responsible for the emergence of drug-resistant funguses. In a mushroom culture medium, MSc. Nguyen Anh Dung examined the antagonistic ability of 14 Trichoderma fungus varieties isolated in provincial agricultural areas. Experimental results showed that the antagonistic ability of Trichoderma fungus varieties to Corti-cium salmonicorlor fungus reached its peak only after 7 days. According to this study, the use of Tr fungus to control plant disease fungi is a safe and effective measure. Binh Duong Province has advantages of developing rubber trees. In addition to helping the development of rubber trees, bringing benefits to local farmers, the study also contributes to environmental protection and human health.

This conference attracted more than 200 scientific presentations. Most presentations focused on basic and hot issues posted to Vietnam in the globalization context, international integration, increasing impacts of global climate changes... These studies partially satisfied the urgent demands of economic development in Vietnam in general and in Binh Duong Province in particular.

At present, Binh Duong Province is an attractive destination to domestic and foreign investors. Provincial business community has also made changes in awareness and investment tends for a greener, cleaner production, as well as to fulfill their social responsibilities. Therefore, the application of green manufacturing, clean production is now the orientation in investment attraction of the province. At this conference, scientific studies helped managers make solutions for the effective implementation of green growth, sustainable development, while improving community awareness and corporate responsibilities, promoting local socio-economic development.

Reported by Phuong Le – Translated by Ngoc Huỳnh