Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy
Nguyen Thi Khuong
ROLES OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE INTEGRATION OF
ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTION IN VIETNAM NOWADAYS
Specialism : CNDVBC & CNDVLS
Code : 62 22 80 05
SUMMARY PHD THESIS IN PHILOSOPHY
Ha Noi – 2014
The work was completed at Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics
Supervisor: 1. A.Prof.Dr. Tran Thanh
2. A.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Minh Hoan
Reviewer 1:………………………………………………………………………….
Reviewer 2:………………………………………………………………………….
Reviewer 3:………………………………………………………………………….
The PhD thesis will be defensed in front of a jury and marked by at
Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics
At…: On 2014
The PhD thesis is available in National Library and the
Library of Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics
INTRODUCTION
1. The necessity of the research
Human beings have entered the third millennium, and we are facing global
challenges. Climate change and the degradation of natural resources, ecological
environment pollution are the biggest concerns of the contemporary world.
Ecological environment pollution has been changing comprehensively and deeply
natural ecosystems, affecting the economic growth as well as the whole society,
threatening seriously environment, energy and food security in worldwide.
The root causes of global climate change and ecological environmental
pollution are: the uncompleted engineering, exploiting and processing technology
of natural resources; incomplete understanding of ecological environment.

environmental degradation in some regions growing to the warming level” [52,
page 169] have been considered the strictest ones by Vietnam Communist Party
and the Government. These limitations are due to several causes, most of which are
the subjective causes. The emphasis on economic growth and neglect of
environmental protection are still popular; economic growth is in a wide range,
heavily depending on the exploitation of natural resources; several fields and lines
of manufacturing still use the obsolete technology, causing the severe
environmental pollution; the population growth and rapid urbanization are putting
pressures on the environment. Meanwhile, the regulations and policies on
environmental protection and sustainable development have not met the demand
for economic-social development of the nation. The state system of organization
and administration still has several drawbacks and lacks human resources,
especially in local areas. There still exist some limitations in the implementation;
the violations to the laws on environmental protection are not tackled decisively
and strictly.
Vietnamese Communist Party and the government have acknowledged the
above limitations; without the proper solutions, these limitations may not only
seriously affect the implementation of the millennium objectives but also give
threats to economic growth, causing the hazards to people’s life.
Rapid and sustainable growth is the need of the nation’s strategies of
economic-social development. The integration of economic growth with ecological
environment protection is an essential issue and a tough and complicated mission.
This requires the Government to continuously reform the thinking, methods of
implementation and reinforce the policies, legal instruments, implement the
inspection, checking and supervision of the economic management and
management of resources-environment, financial investment for the protection of
resource- environment, raise people’s awareness of the importance of the
integration of economic growth with ecological environment protection, etc.
From the above analysis, the study of the roles of the Government in the
integration of economic growth with ecological environment protection is very

4. Theoretical basis and research methodology of the thesis
4.1. Theoretical basis
The thesis bases on the theoretical basis of Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi
Minh’s ideology and viewpoints, guidelines and policies of the Party and the
Government on socio - economic development in the period of accelerating
industrialization and modernization. During performance, the thesis also inherits
some achievements of relevant scientific works.
4.2. Research Methodology
The thesis bases on the methodological principles of dialectical materialism and
historical materialism in combination with other methods such as: logic – history, analysis -
synthesis and induction - deduction, investigation, information collection, survey, research,
comparison
5. New contributions
- The thesis clarifies issues for enhancing the role of the Government in
integrating economic growth with ecological environment during phase of promoting
industrialization and modernization in Vietnam.
- The thesis proposes some basic solutions to promote the role of the
Government in integrating economic growth with ecological environment protection
during phase of promoting industrialization and modernization in Vietnam.
6. Significance of the thesis
- The thesis contributes to point out scientific arguments for the Party and the
Government proposing sound guidelines, policies and laws to address well
relationship between economic growth and ecological environment protection.
- Problem are mentioned and resolved by thesis will contribute to enhancing
the role of the Government in leading, directing and implementing combination of
economic growth with ecological environment protection.
- The thesis can be used as reference for those who studying, teaching, and
those interested in the field of integrating economic growth with ecological
environment protection.
7. Structure of the thesis

(2013)
The studies clarifies connotation of ecological environmental concept, pointing out
that protection of ecological environment is vital to nations in present. This study refers
to solutions on ecological environment protection such as solutions on policy, law,
financial investment, science and technology and education on ecological environment
protection for people
1.1.3. The studies on integrating economic growth with ecological environment
protection
In recent years, researches on integrating economic growth with ecological
environment protection have drawn considerable attention. Among the studies related
to this issue, we can mention some typical works such as "Developing ecological ethics
- man's responsibility for nature", The Journal of Philosophy No. 6 (2009) by Pham Thi
Ngoc Tram, "Environmental pollution in our country today - Situation and some
solutions", published in the Journal of Philosophy No.11 (2009) by Tran Dac Hien,
"The development of free trade in market economy in Vietnam today with ecological
environment protection”, doctoral thesis of Truong Manh Tien; "The relationship
between economic growth and environmental protection for sustainable development",
doctoral thesis of Bui Van Dung
The above studies proved that activities of material production, daily activity and
activities promoting economic growth are root causes of ecological environment
pollution and exhaustion of natural resources. Since then, the researches focused on
analyzing and providing the best basic solutions to combine economic growth with
ecological environment protection.
1.2. PREVIOUS RESEARCH ON ROLES OF THE GOVERNMENT IN
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTION
1.2.1. Research on roles of the government in economic growth
Roles of the government in economic growth is a popular issue of research in
the recent years, including the following studies: “Government administration on
the economy in Vietnam nowadays” Journal of political theory No 2 (2010) by Ngo

These works have shown that the entity holding the most important role in
stimulate the ecological environment protection is the government. As the
representative of people owning natural resources, the government performs the
functions of organizing, managing, checking and inspecting the exploitation and
use of natural resources. In Vietnam, the government plays an important role in
issuing the undertakings, policies, laws and organizing, building the team of
professional staff that is in charge of performing the management of resources and
environment. Strengthening the government’s roles in the management of
resources and environment requires: improving the legal system and policies on the
environmental protection; improving the Government system of organization
mechanisms on the management of resources and environment in different levels;
raising people’s awareness of environmental protection, etc.
In conclusion, these works have proven their theoretical and practical
meanings. The scientific value of these works has facilitated the research direction
of the current thesis.
Chapter 2
INCORPORATING THE ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH THE
PROTECTION OF ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT – DEMAND FOR
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
AND ROLES OF THE GOVERNMENT
2.1. INCORPORATING THE ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH
ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION– DEMAND FOR THE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
2.1.1. Definition of Economic growth and Ecological environment
protection
2.1.1.1. Definition of Economic growth and factors influencing the
economic growth
Economic growth is defined in a variety of aspects. For example, economic
growth is the potential output expansion of a nation over the time, or the expansion
of economic capacity to manufacture and expand the production possibility over

the economic growth, every nation has been affecting the ecological environment.
For each nation, natural resources are the basis for the development. Over the
last decades, human beings have continuously developed labor tools and applied
modern technology for the exploitation of natural resources. The application of
modern technology for the exploitation of natural resources helps to conserve
natural resources and preserve the landscapes of the ecological environment to
some extents. However, it has also brought the consequences negatively affecting
the ecological environment.
In case of high economic growth, human beings will be given more favorable
conditions to protect ecological environment; and vice versa, without the economic
growth or if human beings try to heavily exploit natural resources for the economic
growth, there shall be no conditions to improve and protect the ecological
environment
2.1.2.2. Effects of ecological environment protection on economic growth
Ecological environment provides with the basic physical conditions so that
human beings may survive and conduct the manufacturing of wealth. There shall
be no economic growth without the inputs to the process of manufacturing, so
ecological environment itself provides with the labor objects for the continuing
manufacturing process.
Therefore, ecological environment protection has positive effects on
economic growth. If ecological environment is protected; natural resources are
conserved and conditioned to renew, the inputs for economic growth, as a result,
will be conserved and stable. If ecological environment is not protected, natural
resources are exploited heavily to the depletion and not conditioned to renew, the
economic inputs consequently will be unstable and insufficient for the
manufacturing; also, there will be no economic growth.
For the ecological environment protection, during the manufacturing process,
human beings shall find out the appropriate methods affecting the ecological
environment that both allow the economic growth and protect ecological
environment

highest authority, the government will decide the design of the strategies and
mobilize the financial, human and other resources to implement these objectives.
Laws: International Laws on the incorporation of economic growth with
ecological environment protection is the sets of rules and international regulations
regulating the relationship among countries and between nations with the
international organizations, requiring the compliance of the rules on ecological
environment protection during the manufacturing activities in order to ensure the
appropriate incorporation of economic growth with ecological environment
protection
2.2.2. Roles of the government in implementing the incorporation of
economic growth and ecological environment protection
Roles of the government in organizing the mechanisms to implement the
incorporation of economic growth with ecological environment protection
Ecological environment protection is the important issue affecting the
survival of each nation. Therefore, it shall be regarded as a vital economic-social
field like other fields; the government than has to identify the objectives, issue and
implement the decisions from the central to local level in order to create the
vertical link for the ecological environment protection under the continuing effects
of the economy.
Roles of the government in assembling the team of professional staff
incorporating the economic growth with ecological environment protection:
The government assembles the team of professional staff by planning,
training and developing skilled staff and Government officials. Then, there will be
a team of skilled staff, ensuring the continuing hierarchy in terms of human
resources and meeting the practical demand for the incorporation of the economic
growth with ecological environment protection.
Roles of the government in mobilizing the capital; implementing the research
of science-technology and international cooperation in the incorporation of the
economic growth with ecological environment protection:
In order to implement the contents of ecological environment protection under

ecological environment. To regulate the benefits among different social groups and
ensure that every individual fulfills the responsibility of ecological environment
protection, the government has to perform the social consensus and the roles of
each individual in ecological environment protection.
Chapter 3
EMERGING ISSUES FOR ENHANCING THE ROLE OF THE
GOVERMENT IN THE INTEGRATION OF ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH
ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
IN VIETNAM PRESENTLY
3.1. CONFLICTS BETWEEN REQUIREMENT OF THE UNITY IN
POLICIES, STRATEGIES, LAW IN INTEGRATING ECONOMIC
GROWTH AND ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION, AND
INCONSISTENT STATUS.
3.1.1. The inadequacies, inconsistencies between policies and strategies in the
combination of accelerating economic growth and protecting the ecological
environment
Firstly: The inadequacies, inconsistencies in the formulation and
implementation of policies of integrating economic growth with ecological
environment protection
Economic policies: The Government offers specific provisions on the preferential
regimes of land, tax, financial support for the environment protection activities, the
environmentally friendly products as well as activities which nicely balance between
protection and efficient use of environmental elements for the development. Despite
advancements in promulgation and implementation of policies, but in fact, many
complicated difficulties still arise. For example, the policies are not commensurate and
can not meet the demands of reality. Some policies also reveal legal loopholes - the
conditions for types of crime making negative things that affect the economy and
destroy ecological environment.
Social policies: including policies on poverty reduction, job creation, education
and training, science and technology Despite making significant progress, the role of

economy has fairly stable movements; ecological environment is initially protected.
But the fact is that, although there are a number of legal documents on
environment protection, a specialized legal system on the combination of economic
growth and ecological environment protection is absent; issues on environment
protection, rational exploitation of natural resources in economic activities, production
and business are not the fundamental and significant ones in the legal system; some
legal documents still contain irregularities which are inconsistent with reality of
integrating economic growth and ecological environment protection; existing legal
provisions on environment are not in accordance with international law system on
sustainable development which Vietnam has signed.
3.2. CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE REQUIREMENTS OF RAISING
EFFECTIVENESS OF IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION,
INSPECTION, SUPERVISION OF THE COMBINATION OF ECONOMIC
GROWTH AND ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION, BUT
ACTUAL PERFORMANCE STILL SHOWS INADEQUACIES,
LIMITATIONS
3.2.1. The weakness in linking sectors, levels of organizational system of
government management in matching economic growth with ecological
environment protection
Firstly: The organizational structure of the govenrment management on
ecological environment overlaps operates inefficiently
Ecological environment pollution in the country takes place everywhere, regularly
and constantly, posing the need to have a mechanism with the enough number of
employees in management of environmental resources. But, in our country, the number
of government management agencies on environmental resources is small, locating
mainly in the central, provincial and district levels, it is not many in administrative units
of wards, communes. The connection of Ministry of Natural Resources and
Environment with other ministries such as the Ministry of Science and Technology,
Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health in the protection of ecological environment
in our country has many limitations as: the overlapping on functions and powers of the

widespread application of scientific achievements have contributed to promoting the
process of economy restructure, forming a number of economic sectors which consist
of high technology level and are environmentally friendly; the process of exploitation
and use of natural resources is more effective and economical. Besides, the
implementation and application of science and technology to practical economic
growth and ecological environment protection in our country is limited, such as:
scientific and technological development does not correspond with the sustainable
development; does not fully participate in overcoming environmental pollution
3.2.3. The inspection, examination and supervision of the combination of
economic growth and ecological environment protection does not meet practical
requirements
Generally, inspection, examination, supervision of the combination of economic
growth and ecological environment protection in our country has been gradually
strengthened and enhanced, achieved some positive effects, there is a harmonious
coordination between government management agencies, between ministries and
sectors However, this activity in our country over the past time has shown many
limitations such as: The authorities still loose the management, lack of responsibility for
inspection, examination, supervision of ecological environment protection; inspectors
of ministries, sectors have not yet strictly enforced the law, in many places, there are the
phenomena on pushing the responsibility to each other
3.3. THE CONFLICT OF REQUIREMENTS OF CLOSE
COORPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND
ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL FORCES IN THE COMBINATION OF
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTION, WITH LOOSE COORPERATION STATUS
3.3.1. The limitations in raising responsibility awareness of enterprises on the
combination of economic growth and ecological environment protection
In fact, enterprises, economic organizations have contributed so much to the
protection of the ecological environment. However, besides that, there are many
enterprises which do not properly fulfill environmental responsibilities in production

development plan, exploitation and protection of natural resources; human resource
priority for the biotechnology sector, new materials technologies, mining technology
and processing natural resources; reviewing technical workforce directly exploiting
natural resources, re-evaluating the professional standards, determining the demand for
quantity, quality to take measures for education, training; Researching on building and
implementing mechanisms and policies to attract and use high-quality human resources
for economic growth associated with protection of the ecological environment.
Developing science and technology is a factor contributing to ecological
environment protection in economic growth: Continuing to innovate, improve the
mechanisms, policies and laws to build and use effectively the scientific technical staffs,
enhance the competition in the operation of scientific individuals and organizations to
motivate the development of science, technology of natural resources - environment
sector; having strong and uniform innovation, organization, management mechanism,
operation mechanism, constructing comprehensive training policy, worthy
remuneration for talents working in natural resources- environment sector
Regarding the construction and completion of strategies on matching economic
growth with ecological environment protection
The government needs to quickly promulgate specific strategies on linking
economic growth with ecological environment protection. During the absence of the
strategy, Government should review and modify strategies on economic development,
existing strategies on environment protection towards closely linking with each other
and matching economic growth and ecological environment protection. These strategies
should focus on planning development of industrial zones and spots, handicraft villages
and urban areas, ensure science; make appropriate policies, minimize the overlap,
inconsistencies between existing strategies; perform strategies publicly and
transparently
4.1.2. Construction and completion of legal system on attaching economic
growth with ecological environment protection
Government must be active to launch a specific law on economic growth in
conjunction with ecological environment protection with the following requirements:

necessary regulations on the inspection attaching economic growth with ecological
environment protection in Inspection Law and other relevant sectors of law, create an
adequate legal basis for the activities of inspection, examination and supervision;
clearly defining responsibilities of inspection, examination, supervision and handling
power on ecological environment protection for competent authorities of the
government; continue to strengthen the police force on environmental crime prevention

4.2.3. Building a financial resource which is strong enough to perform the
combination of economic growth and ecological environment protection
The government needs to supplement the provisions of law on financial revenue
and expenditure for ecological environment protection in economic growth towards
consistent direction to the reality; form mechanism to mobilize investment capital for
protection of natural resources and environment; ensure budget expenditure rate for
environmental career and development investment expenditures for public ecological
environment protection increasing along with GDP; review ODA capital, credit capital
granted for the socialization of economic growth associated with ecological
environment protection.
4.2.4. Strengthening the learning, international communication and
cooperation on ecological environment protection associated with economic
growth
State needs to establish and maintain traditional cooperative relationships, to be
more active in research activities, and signing and committing to fully implement the
international conventions, international protocol on the protection ecological
environment; expand the cooperation with other countries and international
organizations to attract and efficiently exploit supporting sources in the protection of
ecological environment; have policies to encourage cooperation with other
organizations and individuals around the world to improve the capacity and
effectiveness of environmental protection in the country
4.3. THE SOLUTION GROUP OF ENHANCING THE ROLE OF THE
GOVERNMENT IN THE CREATION AGREEMENT OF THE WHOLE

protection; creating and associating political – social organizations with enterprises and
people to share benefits from ecological environment together and protect the
ecological environment together; improving capacity and access to information for the
organizations and associations in order to they are aware of their role, position, interests
and responsibilities in the ecological environment protection, etc.
CONCLUSION
In the process of economic – social development in general and in the process
of economic growth in particular, many problems concerning natural resources,
environment and ecological environment protect has raised that are obstacles and
challenges of the development process. If we overcome the obstacles and
challenges, connect the economic growth with environment protection, our nation
will reach a state of sustainable development.
However, this process is long-term and full of hardships, requiring efforts of
everyone at every authorities in every sectors, from central levels to local ones; at
first, the State play the most important role in the combination between economic
growth with ecological environment protection. The role of state is expressed
through capacity of management and control of behaviors of individuals and
organizations in economic activities with the aiming of protecting and recovering
the ecological environment.
In terms of methodology, it is possible to assess role of the State in
combination between economic growths with ecological environment protection in
many different aspects. Within this thesis, we only assess roles of the State in the
combination between economic growth with ecological environment protection in
four following contents namely role of the State in establishing legal system,
policies, strategies on the combination between economic growth with ecological
environment protection; role of the State in performing the combination between
economic growth with ecological environment protection; role of the State in
inspecting, surveying and supervising to implement the combination between
economic growth with ecological environment protection; role of the State in
creating the social consensus to implement the combination between economic

protection; role of the State in strengthening production relations to ensure the
combination between economic growth with ecological environment protection; and role
of the State in the combination between economic growth with ecological environment
protection in international economic integration.
A. Researches published in magazines:
1. Nguyen Truong Khang– Nguyen Thi Khuong (co-author) (2010),
“Educating awareness of sustainable ecological environment development for
teachers”, Educational Magazine, (Vol. 238), p.57- 63.
2. Nguyen Thi Khuong (2010), "Educating awareness of sustainable
ecological environment development for students at College of Education- Thai
Nguyen University", Science and Technology Magazine – Thai Nguyen University,
(Vol. 6), p.8- 11.
3. Nguyen Thi Khuong (2011), "Management role of the State in development of
Socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam nowadays", Science and Technology
Magazine – Thai Nguyen University, (Vol. 4), p.87- 90.
4. Nguyen Thi Khuong (2011), “College of Education– Thai Nguyen
University and education of environmental ethics for students", Educational
Magazine, (Vol. 9), p.60 - 62.
5. Nguyen Thi Khuong (2012), "Inevitability of the combination of economic
growth and ecological environment protection in Vietnam nowadays", Theoretical
educational magazine, (Vol 188), p. 69.71
6. Nguyen Thi Khuong (2012), "Combination between economic growth with
ecological environment protection for sustainable development: theoretical and
practical problems in Vietnam currently", Science and Technology Magazine –
Thai Nguyen University, (Vol. 12), p. 71-74.
7. Nguyen Thi Khuong (2013), "Some fundamental solutions in order to
improve the role of the State in the combination between economic growth with
ecological environment protection in Vietnam today", Theoretical educational
magazine, (Vol 207), p. 49-52.
B. Projects consisted in scientific research, summary cord of science