POLICY BUILDING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF CRAFT VILLAGES IN VIETNAM

Abstract

As is commonly the case in any developing country, the trade-offs or opportunity cost between socio-economic growth and environmental damage for Vietnam have been anticipated. Since economic growth and a sound environment are not necessarily antagonistic, can they be realized in Vietnam ifappropriate policies are followed? Right after its economic transition, the Vietnamese Government has initiated a variety of policies on rural development in the context of environmental protection and sustainable development of craft villages, in recognition of their importance to the national economy. However, the spontaneous development of craft villages during the long-lasting centrally planned economy has entailed potentially serious consequences to the environment and life quality ofthe residents. Obviously, in designing the policies for environmental protection of craft villages, Vietnam has to decide on the path it wishes to travel in terms of growth and how it should be sustained. This paper examines the Vietnamese existing policies on environmental protection ofcraft villages and attempts to make suggestions for the sustainable development of craft villages in Vietnam.