Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan said: The circular economy is not only about waste recycle, considering waste as a resource, but also a connection between economic activities in a pre-calculated way, forming circulation in the economy. Since then, the circular economy helps to reduce the exploitation of natural resources, limit waste to the environment, but still promote economic development. Compared with the traditional linear economy, the circular economy brings many benefits to country, communities and businesses.

The document of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Socio-Economic Development Strategy for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045 has affirmed that encouragement of the development of a circular economy model for the integration and efficient use of the output of the production process”. In particular, the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 has a separate article (Article 142) that regulates the circular economy. Currently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is presiding over and coordinating with relevant agencies and organizations to develop a Draft Decree detailing a number of articles of the Law on Environmental Protection, in which, the content stipulates the route criteria and incentive mechanism to apply circular economy.

Sharing about the content of the Draft Decree on implementing circular economy according to Article 142 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment Mai The Toan said, the general criterion of the circular economy is the economical and rational use of natural resources; prolong the use time of materials, equipment, products, goods, components and components; minimize adverse impacts on the environment: reduce waste and pollutants; reduce the degree of degradation of the ecosystem; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; biodiversity conservation.

In addition, the Draft Decree also clearly outlines the circular economy implementation roadmap, responsibilities of MONRE, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, provincial-level People's Committees, businesses and mechanisms to encourage implementation of circular economy. In which, MONRE will develop and submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation the National Action Plan to implement the circular economy before December 31, 2023; building and operating an information connection and data sharing platform on the application of the circular economy model; promulgate a framework to guide the application of the circular economy. The State prioritizes investment in scientific research, application development, technology transfer and equipment production, and human resource training to realize the circular economy; providing a platform to share information and data about the circular economy.

Within the framework of the workshop, MONRE also introduced Vietnam's National Circular Economy Network, led by MONRE (the focal point is the Institute of Natural Resources and Environment) together with UNDP Vietnam and the Embassies of Netherlands, Na- Norway and Finland.

Introducing Vietnam's circular economy network, the representative of UNDP Vietnam said: The goal of the circular economy network is to contribute to raising awareness and building capacity of stakeholders from agencies, managers, policy makers to social organizations, associations, businesses, research institutes, etc. to integrate technical and financial resources to promote this transformation.

Accordingly, the network has 5 main components: Policy dialogue; knowledge sharing and case studies; financial information; Business Forum; database. The network will operate in the form of a public-private partnership, MONRE, the Institute of Natural Resources and Environment, UNDP will manage and operate this network. The network's coordination activities will be carried out by an Advisory Council supported by the working groups. The members of the Advisory Council will include policy makers, localities, business associations, consumers, and social organizations.

Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan believes that the national circular economy network will develop rapidly, contributing to the improvement of institutions and policies on the circular economy, especially promoting the transition to a circular economy in a substantive and effective way in all socio-economic fields of Vietnam. At the same time, the Deputy Minister also called on the business community to actively participate, actively exchange and implement circular economy models, contributing to helping Vietnam achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030.