Over the last 30 years Viet Nam’s socio-economic development has relied heavily on exploitation of natural resources.  Use of natural resources for economic development is often wasteful and destructive, and in Viet Nam this has resulted in a significant impact on its environment.  For the sustainable development of Viet Nam and the health of its people and ecosystems, it is essential that the environment and the maintenance of environmental services are integrated into future economic development planning. 

This is for the Our work section of the Environmental  Planning Programme:  
Building on experience in linking the livelihoods with conservation issues, IUCN Viet Nam seeks to support the integration of environmental concerns into the orientation and development of national planning documents including the Comprehensive Poverty Reduction Strategies and Growth Strategy and the Social Economic Development Plan of Viet Nam. We seek to promote and mainstream tools such as Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Integrated Water Resource Management, and environmental flows, drawing on the IUCN network of experts and knowledge.
 
Objectives of the programme include:

  1. Integrate environmental concerns into the social economic development plan and strategies
  2. Provide technical assistance in the development of national plans and strategies
  3. Demonstrate and build capacity in the use of integrated planning tools
  4. Promote private sector engagement in adopting best practices for sustainable business
The major work in this field so far is IUCN’s support to the Viet Nam Business Council for Sustainable Development which aims to:
  • Integrate environmental protection and biodiversity conservation into corporate planning
  • Promote  best corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in the business sector
  • Generate and maintain sustainable funding for the Business Trust Fund for Sustainable Development