Vietnam - Hai Phong
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
City Profile: Hai Phong
With a population of 1.96 million (2015), Hai Phong is the third largest city in Vietnam. The city plays a critical role within the region owing to its strategic location within the Red River Delta and along the coast of the South China Sea, as well as its proximity to the capital city of Hanoi, situated 100 km to the east. The Port of Hai Phong is the largest container port in northern Vietnam, which has resulted in the city becoming one of the largest marine distribution centres with a concentration of multiple large-scale manufacturing, industrial complexes and international free-trade zones.
From the perspective of low-carbon urban development, Hai Phong’s local governmental policies are connected with corresponding national strategies. Three of these policies are especially important. The first one is the National Green Growth Strategy (2012) which aims at a 30% GHG emission reduction by 2030. Based on this policy, the city has framed its own Green Growth Strategy Action Plan (2014). Along with the intent of achieving low-carbon growth for urban and industrial areas, this plan also aims at developing Hai Phong as a ‘Green Port City’. The second major policy document is the National Socio-economic Development Plan (SEDP). Based on the SEDP’s directives, the local department for planning and investment (DPI) prepares the city’s five-year master plans (the current one being for the 2016-2020 period). The plan sets targets for GDP growth, poverty reduction, industrial production, taxation and public expenditure. Thirdly, Hai Phong also adheres to a spatial master plan prepared at the national level by the MOT, which guides the city’s urban planning and port development projects. For effective implementation of these multiple plans, it is essential that the local government builds synergies between diverse actions and facilitates coordination among all line agencies.
Hai Phong’s sectoral challenges and solutions which align with the city’s ‘green growth’ plans are outlined below:
With a population of 1.96 million (2015), Hai Phong is the third largest city in Vietnam. The city plays a critical role within the region owing to its strategic location within the Red River Delta and along the coast of the South China Sea, as well as its proximity to the capital city of Hanoi, situated 100 km to the east. The Port of Hai Phong is the largest container port in northern Vietnam, which has resulted in the city becoming one of the largest marine distribution centres with a concentration of multiple large-scale manufacturing, industrial complexes and international free-trade zones.
From the perspective of low-carbon urban development, Hai Phong’s local governmental policies are connected with corresponding national strategies. Three of these policies are especially important. The first one is the National Green Growth Strategy (2012) which aims at a 30% GHG emission reduction by 2030. Based on this policy, the city has framed its own Green Growth Strategy Action Plan (2014). Along with the intent of achieving low-carbon growth for urban and industrial areas, this plan also aims at developing Hai Phong as a ‘Green Port City’. The second major policy document is the National Socio-economic Development Plan (SEDP). Based on the SEDP’s directives, the local department for planning and investment (DPI) prepares the city’s five-year master plans (the current one being for the 2016-2020 period). The plan sets targets for GDP growth, poverty reduction, industrial production, taxation and public expenditure. Thirdly, Hai Phong also adheres to a spatial master plan prepared at the national level by the MOT, which guides the city’s urban planning and port development projects. For effective implementation of these multiple plans, it is essential that the local government builds synergies between diverse actions and facilitates coordination among all line agencies.
Hai Phong’s sectoral challenges and solutions which align with the city’s ‘green growth’ plans are outlined below:
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Pilot and Demonstration Action
Pedestrian Street along Tam bac River Hong Bang District is Hai Phong socio-economic centre with historical, cultural and recreational importance. Due to tourism flows and commercial activities in the area, vehicular movement is very high with huge risks to pedestrians. Pedestrian safety is also low due to the lack of allocated walking space, further evident with frequent and high volume of traffic accidents. The urban renewal demonstration project concept was an initial step towards a larger urban transformation in Hai Phong city to provide access to a safe, green and inclusive urban space. It includes redesign and develop an existing area along the Tam Bac river in Hai Phong city - making it a tourist attraction centre, and maintaining historical and cultural importance; demonstrate the activity to citizens that attract urban public spaces have the potential to in- crease active mobility and can be well integrated with public transport; create convivial and pedestrian only public space to promote public health and increase the safety of pedestrians from fast moving motorised traffic; influence the urban planning paradigm and shift it towards a people focussed policy; integrate the project with other sectors such as energy and resource management to amplify the climate mitigation potential. Urban Pathways supported the city in the project concept development, together with local partner- Hai Phong De- partment of Transport. It was submitted to the UN-Habitat call on ‘Small public space implementation projects’ in 2018. However, the funding was not successful through the same call. Budget: 171,400 EUR |
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Vietnam has a population of 93.5 million (2015) and is located in Southeast Asia between the Mekong River Delta to the south, the Red River Delta to the north and the South China Sea to the east. Between the period of 1980-2015, Vietnam’s rate of population growth in rural areas significantly declined to near zero, while the resultant migration has led to rapid urbanisation across all major cities. Although the country’s current level of urbanisation is low at around 35.7%, it is projected that urban areas would accommodate over half of the country’s population by 2045 (Vietnam Habitat III National Report, 2016). While one-third of the current urban population is presently concentrated in the two largest metropolitan regions of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s secondary tier of the next three largest cities, namely, Can Tho, Hai Phong and Da Nang, is also deemed critical in addressing the future challenges of low-carbon growth.
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Project Development
One of the core objectives is the development and implementation of projects that help decarbonising urban energy, mobility and resource sectors. The projects concepts that are considered to be viable will be later developed into bankable projects for which funding will be sought. Transport: Similar to with all other Vietnamese cities, the dependence on motorcycles is extremely high in Hai Phong. 78% of households own a motorbike (2014) and the mode accounted for over two-thirds of total trips (OECD, 2016). Toaddress the present lack of efficient public transport, the city could invest in strengthening the existing bus network.The city also has a proposal of introducing 220 electric buses, which is yet to be implemented. Electric two-wheelers in Hai Phong, such as motorcycles, scooters, pedelecs (pedal-assisted electric bikes) and mopeds, can have many positive characteristics compared to their petrol equivalents. In particular, they produce less air pollution and CO2 emissions, and less noise. Also, two-wheelers, when they are used instead of cars, improve over-all safety in the city and can increase the mobility of low-income citizens. Smart use of measures can foster an increasethe share of electric two-wheelers in a city amid growing overall numbers of petrol-powered two-wheelers (PTWs). |
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Action Plans
The Action Plans summarise key on-going initiatives and identify opportunities for further action with a focus on cross-sectoral synergies and policy interactions between the local and national level. |
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Bankable Projects
PROJECT CONCEPT: PEDESTRIAN STREET ALONG TAM BAC RIVER The proposed urban renewal demonstration project is an initial step towards a larger urban transformation in Hai Phong city. The current action will be implemented at the Tam Bac river front in the Hong Bang district of Hai Phong city. The district has a socio-economic importance. It is a destination for employment to many people, and for tourist visiting the cultural and heritage sites. The increased importance of the river front of the Tam Bac River and its centrality to the Hong Bang District provides significant rationale for support to redesign and develop the area to include pedestrian friendly mobility. The central aim of the development is to increase the social wellbeing of the residents and visitors in Hong Bang district. The current situation in Hong Bang does not allow an increased and safe movement of pedestrians and people with special needs. Lack of people friendly infrastructure forces an increased use of motorized modes of transport, which are unsafe for both the riders and for the other road users. |
