However, there remain shortcomings in the process because it has not received due attention.

Businesses ignoring EIA regulations

The EIA is an assessment of the possible impacts that the socio-economic development may have on the environment.

Most countries in the world, therefore, pay special attention to the assessment to prevent negative impacts on the environment and ensure sustainable development.

In Vietnam, the EIA was included in the 1993 Law on Environmental protection and in amendments to the law in 2005. With EIA as used as a decision making aiding tool, the country gain initial achievements in preventing environmental pollution.

Mai Thanh Dung, Director of Environmental Appraisal and Impact Assessment under the Vietnam Environment Administration, says over the past five years, many proposed projects have been not been approved because they did not meet the requirements for environment protection. He cited the projects to increase the capacity of Nghe An Beer Joint Stock Company and Vedan Vietnam Enterprise Corporation Ltd, and the O Mon 3 Thermal Power Project, as examples.

However, Dung says, there are still loopholes in EIA regulations and many businesses do not comply with the contents of their EIA reports, especially those related to construction of environment protection projects.

According to Pham Danh, Director of the Binh Duong provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, many businesses only consider the procedures in the EIA such as obtaining building licenses and land-use certificates that are required for authorities to approve their projects. They do not take into account environmental protection commitments.

Nguyen Van Thanh, Deputy Director of the Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade attributes this to the low quality of the EIA reports. He also says businesses and authorities do not attach importance to what happens after the EIA report.

Professor Dang Kim Chi from the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment says many businesses ignore EIA regulations while others assign making the report to inexperienced consultancy agencies that do not keep in close contact with investors.

Regarding professional ethics, though some businesses make various commitments in their EIA reports, none of them are really useful for environment protection. All they want is for their reports to be approved as soon as possible.

In addition, Chi says, the shortage of professional experts in local appraisal councils affects the quality of the assessment and consulting with the public has been ineffective in many localities, she says.

Alignment between EIA regulations and laws

At a recent national conference on environment appraisal and impact assessment held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), experts proposed measures to improve the effectiveness of EIAs and prevent negative impacts on the environment by proposed projects.

Nguyen Van Thanh recommends completing legal documents after studying the experiences of other countries, as well as boosting human resources training, promoting communication to raise awareness of EIA, and strengthening State management of EIA in ministries, agencies, and localities.

Danh says it is necessary to make environment protection regulations align with those for managing natural resources. He also proposed that the Government introduce guidelines for the Laws on Investment, Construction, and Environment Protection.

Luong Y Duoc, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, asked the MONRE to take drastic measures to ensure appropriate inspection of projects before they are allowed to be put into operation.

To facilitate international integration, it is necessary to create EIA regulations in accordance with international standards to meet the country's socio-economic development requirements.