Ecosystem Restoration - Actions of each organization and individual

PV:The theme of this year's World Environment Day is "Ecosystem Restoration". Can you tell us about the purpose and significance of the theme chosen by the United Nations?

Mr. Thai Van Nong:The theme of World Environment Day 2021 is “Ecosystem Restoration” proposed by the United Nations Environment Programme; this event marks the launch of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It also links with the theme of International Biodiversity Day 2021 “We are part of the solution”, affirming that humans are also a factor in the solution for nature, even the key to the success of this effort.

Forest ecosystem with great potential for developing ecotourism services.

According to the United Nations Environment Program, ecosystem restoration here means restoring degraded or destroyed ecosystems as well as preserving intact ecosystems, including land, forests, seas, water systems of rivers, streams, lakes, etc. Studies by scientists show that the degradation of land and marine ecosystems reduces the welfare of 3.2 billion people and causes a loss of about 10% of the total global product each year due to the loss of species and ecosystem services. Also from the research of scientists, about 20% of the planet's vegetation surface is showing a tendency to reduce productivity related to erosion, depletion and pollution. By 2050, degradation and climate change could reduce crop yields by 10% globally and up to 50% in some areas.

A calculation also shows that restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land from now until 2030 could generate 9 trillion USD in ecosystem service value and absorb an additional 13-26 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. Therefore, ecological restoration aims to protect and improve human livelihoods, while protecting life and biodiversity in each country and territory and contributing to limiting the impacts that promote climate change and reducing the risk of natural disasters. Ecological restoration is carried out in many ways, such as planting trees, applying farming methods that have less negative impacts on the environment or removing pressures so that nature can recover itself.

Primary forest in Pu Mat National Park.

PV:What is your assessment of the current ecosystem in Nghe An?

Mr. Thai Van Nong:Nghe An is the province with the largest natural area in the country and is considered a province with high biodiversity, with many unique habitats and ecosystems distributed from high mountains to the open sea such as forest ecosystems; marine ecosystems; river, estuary and coastal ecosystems; water ecosystems around coastal islands...

Regarding forest ecosystems, it is impossible not to mention the Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve, which has the largest area in Southeast Asia with more than 1.3 million hectares; it is a green corridor connecting the three core areas of Pu Mat National Park, Pu Huong Nature Reserve and Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. This place has a very high biodiversity with many rare species of animals and plants. This is also a place with diverse and rich ecosystem services; providing non-timber forest products such as bamboo shoots, honey, medicinal herbs, etc., serving the livelihoods of people in mountainous areas, while providing medicinal herbs for the medicinal herb processing industry.

The functional forces patrol to protect the forest.

Forest ecosystemWith many beautiful landscapes and high biodiversity, it is also an important basis and condition for implementing investment programs and projects to serve people's livelihood, ecotourism, and experiential tourism, opening up many potentials for tourism development in Nghe An. Biodiversity in the Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve with many natural genetic resources is very important for breeding and building economic development models from natural plant varieties.

Besides the forest ecosystem, the marine ecosystem, river ecosystem... also have positive factors and impacts on the socio-economic development of the province and serve people's lives.

It is undeniable that Nghe An has a diverse and unique ecosystem and its positive impacts on the overall development of the province. However, Nghe An is a province with a large population (ranked fourth in the country) along with the pressure of socio-economic development, serving the people and the area that often suffers from natural disasters, the effects of climate change, have had negative impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, especially the most vulnerable forest ecosystem. In fact, in recent times, activities of logging, non-timber forest products; hunting of wild animals; mineral exploitation; conversion of forest land into industrial crop land and construction; and threats from climate change have also had negative impacts and degraded the forest ecosystem.

Polluted river water and destructive fishing are reducing biodiversity in the river. Photo: Mai Hoa

Negative impacts from dam construction activities, road construction; deforestation for shrimp farming ponds; impacts of climate change, increased waste,environmental pollution... has degraded the mangrove ecosystem, reducing the biodiversity of river and estuarine ecosystems.

PV:Given the current ecological situation of Nghe An, and to respond to World Environment Day with the theme given by the United Nations, what do you think Nghe An needs to do?

Mr. Thai Van Nong:Based on the current state of the ecosystem in Nghe An, and in response to World Environment Day 2021 and the United Nations Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, in the coming time, Nghe An province needs to focus on directing, operating, and supervising the implementation of policies and mechanisms related to the ecosystem. Along with that, it is necessary to increase financial resources to carry out tasks related to biodiversity conservation.

Authorities inspect the management and protection of forests in Khe Choang area.

It is especially important to have a "strategy" to propagate and raise awareness for organizations and individuals about the value of ecosystems and biodiversity for human life so that they can act together and actively participate in activities to preserve and restore ecosystems. Control and minimize threats to biodiversity, such as controlling and preventing illegal exploitation, trade and consumption of wildlife; strengthen advocacy, attract and properly use capital sources to protect and develop forests, conserve biodiversity, protect the environment, eradicate hunger and reduce poverty,improve people's livelihoodslive dependent on the forest…

In the immediate future, focus on performing well the tasks in Decision No. 1179/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on approving the planning task of Nghe An province for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050. At the same time, effectively develop and implement the plan to implement the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 (effective from January 1, 2022); implement the Project "Planting one billion trees for the period 2021 - 2025" of the Prime Minister, contributing to protecting the ecological environment, improving the landscape and responding to climate change, developing the economy - society, improving the quality of people's lives and sustainable development in the province and the country.

PV:Thank you!