Localities Step Up Efforts to Manage and Phase Out Ozone-Depleting Substances

The year 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Vietnam’s participation in the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Across the country, several localities have also been actively issuing directives and implementing measures to manage and phase out ozone-depleting substances within their jurisdictions.

For example, in Binh Duong, the Provincial People’s Committee has recently issued Official Dispatch No. 3922/UBND-KT on implementing the National Plan for the Management and Phase-Out of Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS) and controlled greenhouse gases in the province.

The dispatch instructs provincial departments, agencies, and district- and city-level People’s Committees to integrate requirements and solutions on sustainable cooling, reducing urban heat-island effects, and enhancing resilience to extreme heat into local urban development programs, climate-change action plans, and relevant sectoral planning.

It also calls for strengthened inspection and supervision of compliance with regulations on ozone-layer protection among organizations involved in the production, export, and import of equipment containing or manufactured with controlled substances, as well as the management of ODS collection, recycling, reuse, and disposal.

In addition, provincial authorities and district-level People’s Committees are instructed to direct communication units to intensify the dissemination of information, broadcasting of messages, reports, and educational content related to the National Plan for ODS and controlled greenhouse-gas management, issued under Decision No. 496/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister.

Similarly, in Lang Son, the Provincial People’s Committee has issued Official Dispatch No. 934/UBND-KT on implementing the National Plan for the Management and Phase-Out of ODS and controlled greenhouse gases. The document directs provincial departments and agencies to review tasks assigned under Decision No. 1242/QĐ-UBND (June 30, 2020) approving the province’s Climate Change Action Plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050, and continue effective implementation of the Plan’s objectives.

District- and city-level authorities are required to integrate goals and requirements on sustainable cooling, heat reduction, and resilience to extreme temperatures into local programs and activities. Inspections of compliance with ODS regulations must also be strengthened among units involved in production, export, import, or possession of equipment containing controlled substances and entities involved in collection, recycling, reuse, or treatment of such substances.

Furthermore, Lang Son is to promote communication, awareness-raising, training, and capacity-building activities on the impacts of ODS and controlled greenhouse gases, as instructed.

Provincial departments, sectors, and the business community are expected to proactively participate in ODS management and phase-out efforts according to their assigned functions, and coordinate closely in monitoring and evaluating progress on sustainable cooling measures.

In Nghe An, the Provincial People’s Committee has issued Official Dispatch No. 6423/UBND-NN dated July 30, 2024, to implement the National Plan for ODS and controlled greenhouse-gas management. The province tasked the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to lead coordination with relevant agencies and urgently review and implement required tasks under the guidance of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.