More than sixteen years after UNCTAD launched the BioTrade Initiative with the aim of promoting trade and investment in biodiversity as a means of furthering sustainable development, a number of countries, regions and national and international stakeholders have made remarkable progress in embracing BioTrade concepts and principles as integral parts of their strategies. BioTrade is currently implementing 8 national programmes in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The Decree requires that all construction projects of technical infrastructure of industrial zones, hi-tech parks, industrial parks, export processing zones, commercial zones, villages and the other manufacturing business areas are required to undertake an environmental impact assessment. The environmental impact assessment must be conducted during the project preparation stage and must be submitted to authorized agencies such as Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, relevant ministries, and committees in provinces. During the process project owners must consult where the project is implementing, with organizations and communities directly affected by the project, and research and receive reasonable opinions and recommendations from stakeholders in order to minimize the adverse impacts of the project on the natural environment, biodiversity and public health. This Decree took effect on April 1, 2015 and replaces Decree No. 29/2011/ND-CP dated April 18, 2011 and Decree No. 35/2014/ND-CP dated April 29, 2014.

The MRC is an international, country-driven river basin organisation that provides the institutional framework to promote regional cooperation in order to implement the 1995 Agreement. The MRC serves its member states by supporting decisions and promoting action on sustainable development and poverty alleviation as a contribution to the UN Millennium Development Goals.