ERIA and ISPAE Advance Provincial Circular Economy Indicators in Viet Nam

Quang Ninh, 12 December 2025: ERIA, in partnership with the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Agriculture and Environment (ISPAE), jointly organised a 1-day workshop in Quang Ninh Province focused on the application of provincial circular economy (CE) indicators in Viet Nam.

The workshop brought together more than 35 in-person participants and 50 online participants, including representatives from local authorities, sectoral departments, research institutes, universities, and experts from Quang Ninh and neighbouring provinces such as Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Cao Bang, Thanh Hoa, and Lang Son. The primary objective was to strengthen the capacity of provincial authorities and technical staff to apply, monitor, and report CE indicators in alignment with national regulations and local development contexts.

The morning plenary session laid the foundation for understanding circular economy implementation at the provincial level. Following opening and welcome remarks by Dr Mai Thanh Dung, Vice President of ISPAE; Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Senior Research Fellow for Innovation at ERIA; and Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, Deputy Head of the Sub-Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Ninh Province, discussions moved to technical and policy-oriented presentations.

Dr Lai Van Manh of ISPAE presented an overview of Viet Nam's policy framework for circular economy implementation at the provincial level. Dr Anbumozhi followed with a global perspective on the circular economy, highlighting the critical role of local governments in driving effective CE adoption. Dr Chettiappan Viswanathan of Mahidol University then introduced the framework and methodology for measuring circular economy performance at the provincial level.

Local perspectives were provided by representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Ninh Province, who shared insights into the province's current status, potential, and challenges in implementing circular economy practices. The session also featured practical experiences from other localities, including Da Nang. Dr Bui Ngoc Nhu Nguyet of the Da Nang Institute for Socio-Economic Development presented Da Nang's roadmap for circular economy implementation. The plenary session concluded with a sector-focused presentation by Mr Nguyen Duc Vinh, Director of the Center for Research, Training and Consultancy for Local Development, on applying circular economy principles in the tourism sector, followed by a question-and-answer session.

The afternoon interactive session focused on practical application and collaboration. Dr Tran Cong Chinh of Viet Nam National University provided guidance on provincial CE indicators and outlined key steps for their application and progress tracking across provinces. Participants then engaged in hands-on exercises to identify and select appropriate indicators for monitoring and evaluating circular economy implementation. These activities directly supported the workshop's objective of integrating CE indicators into provincial planning and performance evaluation systems.

The workshop successfully contributed to the deliverables of the joint ERIA-ISPAE study on circular economy transition in Viet Nam by enhancing local capacity, providing practical guidance, developing a roadmap for indicator application, and strengthening inter-departmental collaboration on monitoring and data sharing. The event concluded with closing remarks by Ms Ann Huyen Pham and Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, who summarised key outcomes and outlined next steps for rolling out CE indicators across participating provinces.

The workshop reaffirmed ERIA's commitment to supporting sustainable economic development and environmental stewardship across ASEAN and East Asia.