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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN VIETNAM: THEORY AND PRACTICE

Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore

Jeffrey Philip Obbard is an Associate Professor in Environmental Engineering with previous private practice environmental consultancy experience in Hong Kong, Singapore and the broader Asia-Pacific region, as well as the UK.

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YOKE CHIN LAI

Department of Building Technology and Structural Engineering, University of Aalbor, Denmark

Yoke Chin Lai is currently a PhD student at the University of Aalborg, Denmark and obtained an MSc in Environmental Science from Lund University Sweden.

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CLIVE BRIFFETT

Impact Assessment Unit, Oxford Brookes University, Gypsy Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK

Clive Briffett is an Environmental Consultant formerly working in the Department of Real Estate in National University of Singapore with 20 years of working experience in Southeast Asia.

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https://doi.org/10.1142/S1464333202001029Cited by:8 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

Vietnam is a rapidly developing nation in Southeast Asia and has adopted and implemented mandatory legislation for Environmental Assessment since 1994. This review analyses the successes and failures of this legislation and investigates the role of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in the future development of the country. Along with many other developing nations in the region, the implementation of existing environmental legislation is generally weak in Vietnam and increased efforts to educate, train and motivate responsible personnel in the government, non-government and private development sectors is a continuing requirement. Many overseas agencies are currently financing projects to meet these current needs and to develop sustainable development policy within the natural resource management and planning framework in the country. It is concluded that Vietnam does have a good potential for an increased application of SEA, but success will depend on the effective conversion of theory into practice.

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