What is an Eco- Industrial Park?

An eco-industrial park can be defined as an earmarked area for industrial use at a suitable site that ensures sustainability through the integration of social, economic and environmental quality aspects into its siting, planning, operations, management and decommissioning. The term greenfield eco-industrial park is used for completely new EIPs, and the term brownfield is employed when an existing industrial park is transformed into an EIP.

Why Eco-Industrial Parks?

From an industrial competitiveness perspective, the main drivers for eco-industrial parks are:

• Reducing operating costs and improving productivity
• Greening supply and value chains
• Mitigating climate change
• Improving resource supply security, management and efficiencies (e.g. materials, water, energy)
• Reducing business risks, by recognizing that environmental and social risks are economic risks
• Addressing environmental and social topics relevant to local community and government to ensure long-term license to operate industrial parks

What is the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production ( RECP )?

RECP builds on cleaner production in accelerating the application of preventive environmental strategies to processes, products and services to increase efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment. RECP addresses the three sustainability dimensions individually and synergistically:
• Production efficiency: optimization of the productive use of natural resources(materials, energy and water).
• Environmental management: minimization of impacts on environment and nature through reduction of wastes and emissions.
• Human development: minimization of risks to people and communities and support for their development.

What is the Industrial synergies and symbiosis?

• The term “industrial synergies” covers the concept of industrial symbiosis, but it has a broader focus on the different types of industrial collaborations ( Van Beers et al., 2007):
  Supply synergies and co-location of suppliers and clients: Co-location and clustering of companies in the supply and value chains.
• Utility synergies: Shared use of utility infrastructure, mainly revolving around water and energy.
• Service synergies: Sharing of services and activities between companies (e. g. joint training of staff and sharing of maintenance contractors).
• By-product synergies and waste exchanges (industrial symbiosis): The use of a previously disposed waste (as solid, liquid, gas) from one facilityby another facility to provide valuable by-product.

What is a Sustainable city?

Sustainable community is one that is economically, environmentally, and socially healthy and resilient. It meets challenges through integrated solutions rather than through fragmented approaches that meet one of the goals at the expense of the others ( Institute for Sustainable Cities definition). The global development agenda of the United Nations advocates in Sustainable Development Goal 11, the need to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”

UNIDO and Eco-Industrial Parks in Vietnam?

The Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and UNIDO jointly developed a GEF- and SECO-funded project to introduce and implement management systems in selected industrial zones in the country. The project’s objectives are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water consumption, water pollution, persistent organic pollutants and other chemicals of global concern and to demonstrate innovative, clean and low-carbon practices in industries. Industrial zones are targeted in three different provinces, namely Ninh Binh, Can Tho and Da Nang.

For Project’s detailed information: here

Who can benefit from the Project?

• National and local government agencies/ministries
• Companies and industries
• Workers and employees
• Local communities
• Environment

What are the benefits of the Project ?

• Improved resource efficiency through the reduction of the use of raw materials, water and energy
• Reduced production costs
• Improved competitiveness and profitability
• Minimized GHG emissions, release of POPS and use of toxic chemicals
• Reduced waste through the promotion of Cleaner Production and the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)
• New and more employment opportunities
• Improved workers’ health and safety as well as quality of life of communities
• Better access to new technologies and financial instruments

Is there any financial funds from the Project to invest in technological innovation?

Yes, With a view to helping businesses overcome financial barriers in investment to apply clean and low carbon technologies, UNIDO and MPI partnered with 4 financial institutions to introduce available financial mechanisms to support investments in green technology, facilitating easy access to capital sources, investment support, direct assistance and preferential loans.

The Handbook on How to Access Green Financing in Vietnam provides more information about available green financial funds: click here.