Environmental protection fee: Collect 3 dong, spend 1 dong

The ratio of expenditure on environmental protection to corresponding revenue has been decreasing over the past five years.

According to a recent report by the Ministry of Finance on resources for environmental protection, revenue from environmental protection tax has increased more than 3 times in the past 5 years, to about 38,000 billion VND in 2016. Meanwhile, expenditure increased insignificantly, from 9,000 billion to 12,290 billion VND and equivalent to about 1% of total budget expenditure. Thus, in 2016, revenue for environmental protection purposes (only from tax revenue, not including other fees) was 3 times higher than the corresponding expenditure. This ratio has tended to increase in recent years.

Difference between environmental protection tax revenue and budget expenditure for this sector over the years. Unit: billion VND. (*): Estimate. Data: MOF

The Ministry of Finance's report does not say how the gap between revenue and expenditure for environmental protection is handled, but in general, revenue for this purpose is on a strong upward trend.

For example, revenue from environmental protection fees for wastewater (paid entirely to the local budget) in 2013 was 632 billion VND, which increased to 934 billion in 2014.Environmental protection fees for mineral exploitation also increased from VND2,137 billion in 2012 to about VND2,603 ​​billion this year. For this fee alone, the local budget will enjoy 100% if the revenue includes crude oil, natural gas, and coal gas. Otherwise, the money will be paid to the central budget.

In addition to domestic resources for environmental protection, the Ministry of Finance said that the State has mobilized foreign loans and aid with a total commitment from 1993 to present of nearly 4.3 billion USD, with aid for the 2015-2016 period of about 152 million USD. In 2016, the Japanese Government will also disburse ODA loans for the climate change response program worth about 2,000 billion VND (nearly 100 million USD).

Assessment of revenues and expenditures for environmental protectionbeamAll "met the target", but the Ministry of Finance also said that people still have to live in a situation of pollution exceeding the allowable threshold when there are a series of environmental "hot spots" in urban areas, industrial zones, river basins... "For example, out of a total of 786 urban areas nationwide, only 40 urban areas have wastewater treatment facilities that meet standards", the report said.

To increase budget revenue and have more money to spend on environmental protection, one of the proposals made by the Ministry of Finance is to implement a market price mechanism for some input items such as electricity, coal, gas, gasoline, etc.

The agency also recommends that the Government,deliverThe Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is responsible for urgently reviewing, amending or issuing new technical and economic norms in the environmental field, in order to clearly define responsibilities in State management of the environment from licensing to inspection and examination...

According to VNE