Dong Nai goes green through concrete actions

Positive progress in controlling emissions at industrial parks, promoting green agriculture, and conserving forest resources demonstrates that Dong Nai is steadily turning its goal of economic development alongside environmental protection into reality.

Behind these achievements are strategic vision, sound investment policies, and the participation of the entire political system, businesses, and communities in building a green city and promoting sustainable development.

Substantive changes

Environmental protection has long been a key criterion guiding Dong Nai’s development strategy. The city has introduced numerous policies and allocated substantial resources to infrastructure investments to improve pollution prevention, environmental control, and ecosystem protection. As a result, the quality of soil, groundwater, and air remains generally good and within permitted standards.

As one of the country's major industrial centers, Dong Nai places special emphasis on environmental protection in industrial parks and industrial clusters to control emissions at their source.

Departments, agencies, and mass organizations sign a commitment to implementing environmental protection and climate change response tasks in support of Dong Nai City's sustainable socio-economic development for the 2026-2030 period.

The city allocates budget resources to support wastewater treatment infrastructure, while requiring all investors to ensure that industrial wastewater is collected and treated to required standards before discharge into the environment. To date, 42 out of 43 operating industrial parks have completed centralized wastewater treatment systems that meet regulatory standards. Of this figure, 40 industrial parks have stable automatic monitoring systems that transmit data directly to management authorities for continuous supervision. Meanwhile, 10 out of 23 industrial clusters have invested in centralized wastewater treatment systems.

Beyond wastewater treatment, facilities generating large volumes of emissions are also required to install automatic monitoring systems. Businesses must classify and manage hazardous waste in accordance with regulations. In addition, Dong Nai became the first locality in Vietnam to convert a long-established industrial park with potential environmental pollution risks.

Regarding domestic solid waste, Dong Nai's consistent policy is to maximize collection, ensure comprehensive treatment, and minimize landfill disposal. Currently, the municipal solid waste collection rate has reached nearly 80%. The city requires waste treatment facilities to gradually transition to modern, low-emission technologies to improve treatment efficiency.

In the agricultural sector, many positive developments have also been recorded. Thousands of livestock farms that did not meet planning requirements have either ceased operations or relocated from prohibited livestock-raising areas, helping reduce environmental pressure in residential and urban areas. Green agriculture, ecological farming, and production linkage models continue to be encouraged and expanded.

At the same time, Dong Nai is one of the leading localities in forest resource conservation. Nearly 30 years ago, the city implemented a policy of closing natural forests and has since pursued numerous policies for forest protection, development, and the conservation of rare plant and animal species. Today, Dong Nai possesses approximately 370,000 hectares of forest, the largest forest area in the southeastern region, serving as the region’s “green lung.”

Tran Trong Toan, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that environmental protection efforts in the city have achieved substantial progress. The management approach has shifted toward proactive prevention, control, and protection. This milestone reflects the effectiveness of long-term investment strategies in environmental infrastructure.

Joining hands to build a green city

These achievements have been made possible not only through the government's direction, regulation and management but also through the active participation of businesses and the community.

Do Thanh Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, noted that rapid urbanization is placing significant pressure on water supply and drainage systems, wastewater treatment, flood prevention and the development of green spaces. Therefore, the Department of Construction has advised the City People's Committee to continue prioritizing synchronized investment in environmental technical infrastructure, accelerate urban wastewater treatment projects, upgrade drainage systems and expand urban parks and green spaces. This will be accompanied by energy-saving solutions, smart lighting, green transportation, plastic waste treatment and the development of green and smart urban areas.

Mass organizations have become active forces in environmental protection efforts. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Vice Chairwoman of the City Women's Union, stated that communication and public awareness campaigns on environmental protection and climate change adaptation remain a key and ongoing task. In the coming period, women's unions at all levels will continue maintaining and expanding practical initiatives such as waste separation at source, plastic waste reduction and clean, green and beautiful neighborhood programs.

Key activities during Dong Nai Green Week and the observance of World Environment Day, held on June 5 in Dong Phu Ward, include promotional vehicle parades combined with cycling campaigns, exchanging recyclable and hazardous waste for daily necessities, tree planting activities and environmental clean-up campaigns involving waste collection.

Tran Minh Duc, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thanh Phuong Real Estate Joint Stock Company in Dong Xoai Ward, said that the company currently invests in and operates seven industrial parks and industrial clusters. Sustainable development remains its guiding principle. Therefore, during the construction and operation of these industrial zones, the company focuses on investing in synchronized wastewater treatment infrastructure and monitoring systems. Investment attraction must be selective rather than quantity-driven or pursued at any cost. At the same time, environmental risk control is strengthened, and businesses are required to strictly comply with regulations governing waste, emissions and wastewater management.

Environmental protection is a continuous, long-term responsibility. The organization of Dong Nai Green Week and activities marking World Environment Day on June 5 are not merely isolated events or short-term campaigns. Rather, they are intended to foster a green lifestyle and make environmental responsibility a natural, everyday practice for every organization, business and citizen.

By Hoang Loc - Translated by Diec Quyen, Minho