In parallel with fast growth of many industrial sectors, environmental pollution has been becoming a major challenging problem which requires much concern of many nations, especially developing ones. Researches have been carried out and policies have been applied from various approaches for environmental management improvement. In Vietnam, environmental pollution problems have been mainly managed by “orders and control”. Enterprises must comply with environmental standards issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (earlier the Ministry of Science-Technology and   Environment).

Main targets of the 'Danang’s Industrial Pollution Management” program in the period 2001-2005' are to prevent and deal with the environmental pollution situation caused by industrial establishments, to improve the environmental quality and to contribute to the national sustainable development. Many measures will be carried out to reach these targets. Publicising information on the environmental situation of enterprises is an important tool to strengthen cooperative relations between the enterprises, state management units and local people.

Publicising information, in reality, is on enterprises’ environment quality. The information will be published in books, namely 'Green Classification Book' which mentions the operation situation, environmental quality and their classification. Each classified enterprise will be given a colour reflecting its environmental quality. In stead of using many criteria on environment, the colour will be a general remark for the environmental quality of that enterprise. By seeing the colour, enterprises, management units and the masses will know the real environmental situation of the enterprises. In books, the industrial enterprises with effective contribution to environmental protection, on the one hand, will be hailed by the city’s authorities and supported by the community. On the other, any enterprises causing adverse impact to the environment will be exposed to public due to its real environmental situation. This will make enterprises take much concern for the environmental protection.

The “green classification” result of the five industrial sectors in Danang is from a pilot activity applied the approach of basing on the community for the targets of the Danang’s Industrial Polltuion Management program. We hope that the “Green Classification Book” will be supported by related agencies and the public and acknowledged by the industrial establishments with their positive action in improving the environment without coercive measures.

* Video: The awarding ceremony of Danang-based enterprises with great achievement in environmental protection