On November 1, the Green Development Journalism Club towards Net Zero (Green Media Hub) and the Natural Resources & Environment newspaper organized a workshop on "The role of press and business leaders in sustainable development" in Vung Tau City.

Communication helps change awareness, promote green transformation

At the workshop, Ms. Chu Thi Kim Thanh - Operations Director of the Vietnam Packaging Recycling Alliance (PRO Vietnam) - said that PRO Vietnam has identified one of the priority strategies as communication to increase public awareness through propaganda and education.

According to Ms. Thanh, the media plays an extremely important role in creating awareness to change consumer behavior, awareness of waste classification at source... creating resonance with the whole society, improving efficiency in collection and recycling.

Citing the "Green Vietnam" project in cooperation between PRO Vietnam and Tuoi Tre newspaper, Ms. Thanh said that in the past 5 years, PRO has had the cooperation and support of large and prestigious media agencies such as Tuoi Tre newspaper, Tai Nguyen & Moi Truong newspaper, Green Development Journalism Club... to create changes.

"The change in awareness that has been evident in recent years in the business community as well as in the residential community is about EPR (extended producer responsibility), green production, waste classification at source, green consumption...", Ms. Thanh said.

However, Ms. Thanh also said that there is still a gap between awareness and behavior when green transformation is still considered by many businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, as a game for the "big guys", or the implementation of EPR is still considered by most businesses as a cost burden and only done when required.

She believes that leaders of press agencies in particular and media agencies in general need to take stronger action so that businesses and the community in general can turn awareness into behavior.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Tho - Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) - said that Vietnam has committed to zero net emissions by 2050 and adjusted its strategies and policies to match the zero net emissions commitment.

Media agencies play an important role in policy communication, especially promoting awareness of green transformation among the business community and people towards Net Zero.

Spreading innovative emission reduction models

Mr. Erick Contreras - Co-Chair of the Green Growth Subcommittee of EuroCham, General Director of BASF Vietnam - said that to create changes in awareness of green development, the media plays an extremely important role in helping to spread green development stories from leading enterprises, professional organizations to small and medium enterprises, consumers and the community.

At the same time, businesses can easily access the latest information on green technology, advanced solutions and government support policies from the press.

In particular, media agencies also help to voice challenges, criticize policies and propose recommendations, creating conditions for businesses to have a more favorable business environment for sustainable development.

Ms. Tran Ngoc Anh - External Affairs Director of Heineken Vietnam - said that the press plays a key role in communicating and raising awareness about the importance of sustainable development and circular economy.

"The media is not only a bridge to provide information but also a place to share creative solutions, successful lessons and useful initiatives from large, medium and small businesses," said Ms. Anh.

At the workshop, editors-in-chief of many press agencies also pledged to continue promoting communication activities to promote sustainable development, opening more special pages and columns on green living, green economy, etc. to communicate policies, spread good models, and inspire green transformation to reduce emissions.

Looking for the winners of the "Green Development Journalism Award"

Within the framework of the Green Media Hub's series of activities, journalist Le Xuan Trung - deputy editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, permanent deputy director of Green Media HUB - informed about the "Green Development Journalism Award" organized by the Natural Resources & Environment newspaper, the Center for Journalism Culture (Vietnam Journalists Association), and Green Media Hub.

Journalist Xuan Trung said the award will be given to journalistic works that convey interesting ideas, stories, issues, characters... about promoting sustainable development, promoting green economy, reducing emissions, adapting to climate change...

The award ceremony is expected to take place in June 2025, with each prize worth 5 - 50 million VND, and the special and creative prizes each worth 100 million VND.

Invite readers to participate in the Green Vietnam festival

On November 9 and 10, at the Youth Cultural House (4 Pham Ngoc Thach, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), the Green Vietnam festival will take place with many activities held for the first time in Vietnam.

Green Vietnam Festival is one of the outstanding activities within the "Green Vietnam" project, organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper in collaboration with the Vietnam Packaging Recycling Alliance (PRO Vietnam).

Act together for a "Green Vietnam"

TTCT - Businesses joining PRO Vietnam are not only to fulfill their own responsibilities or entrust the alliance to collect and recycle their products...