Dr. Vũ Thành Tự Anh, dean of the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, and member of the Economic Advisors' Group for the Prime Minister, speaks at a seminar on Nordic Green Capitals – Leadership, Governance, Sustainability and Innovation on Wednesday. VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY —  Vietnamese scholars, researchers, opinion leaders, policymakers and key stakeholders from Nordic capital cities (Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm) discussed green, innovative and sustainable solutions at a seminar held in HCM City on Wednesday.

The Nordic embassies in Việt Nam (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), in coordination with the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management in HCM City, jointly organised the seminar on Nordic Green Capitals – Leadership, Governance, Sutainability and Innovation on the occasion of Nordic Day on March 23.

For the past 20 years, Việt Nam’s stable and impressive economic growth as well as growing urbanisation rate have led to challenges such as air pollution, traffic congestion, and water and waste management and climate-resiliency issues.

Dr. Vũ Thành Tự Anh, dean of the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, and member of the Economic Advisors' Group for the Prime Minister, said: “Việt Nam has an impressive economic growth record, but traditional growth drivers such as high investment and cheap labour are running out of steam. 

“In the next decade, urban development will certainly be a major engine of growth for Việt Nam. The challenge of urbanisation in Việt Nam is how to strengthen urban competitiveness while controlling negative externalities such as environmental pollution and traffic congestion, and responding effectively to natural disasters and climate change so that cities truly become livable and safe.” 

Green recovery must become a guiding principle for Việt Nam’s strategies and policies with respect to urban development in particular and the economy in general for the post Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

The rich experience of Nordic countries in urbanisation, environmental protection and climate-change adaptation will be an invaluable source of reference for Việt Nam in the process of implementing this strategy, he added.

During the last decade, all the Nordic capital cities, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm, made bold political and administrative decisions to address urbanisation, climate change and environmental challenges.

“We, the Nordic countries, are very pleased to be Việt Nam’s long-term friends and strong supporters of the country’s poverty reduction and impressive social and economic growth. Now focus is on the transition to a greener and sustainable development. Economic security must go hand in hand with social and environmental security,” the Nordic ambassadors to Việt Nam said.

Today half of humanity already lives in cities and by 2050 an estimated 70 per cent of humanity will be urban. The rapid pace of urbanisation and heavy industrialisation affects millions of people around the globe, posing challenges for health, safety and the environment. — VNS