Bắc Ninh
Bac Ninh moves toward liveable city from new status
BAC NINH- Bac Ninh rises in the status as a centrally governed city with new spaces and drivers for development. However, rapid growth places greater pressure on the environment, infrastructure and people’s quality of life. In order to become a liveable city, the “green” criteria must be a thorough principle for growth choices, space organisation and development governance.
In the urban master plan through 2050 with a vision to 2075, Bac Ninh is targeted to become a livable city in Asia, focusing on green and circular economic development and linking growth with environment protection.
 |
|
Young people experience at the eco-tourism site of Duc Hanh Sam Nam Nui Danh Cooperative (in Phuc Hoa commune). |
To achieve that goal, “green” must be embedded at the heart of the development model.
Bac Ninh’s industrial production indicator increased by 20.2 percent in the first 8 months of 2026 when its industrial production value was estimated at 2.2 quadrillion VND (84.54 billion USD), up 17.4 percent against the same period.
The total import and export turnover reached approx.152.5 billion USD, in which the export revenue achieved over 75.4 billion USD, an increase of 31.8 percent, leading the nation.
These figures demonstrated the power of an open industry-based economy. As the scale of production and urban development continues to expand, the demand for electricity, water, transportation, housing, wastewater and waste treatment as well as urban services will become bigger.
The August socio-economic report also highlighted growing demands for improved urban governance, infrastructure and public services.
Thus, the green criteria must be enclosed with project selection process. For an industrial project, it is not enough to solely pay attention to investment capital, revenue or the number workers but it is necessary to take into account technology, energy, water and land consumption, waste treatment capacity and carrying capacity of the project area.
Bac Ninh has entered a stage when project quality must be attached more importance than the number of projects. It is a must for improving the quality of growth.
One of the highlights in the Bac Ninh urban master plan is the “greenery – water – forest – agriculture – urban area” spatial structure.
This structure reflects the diverse ways in which value is generated in Bac Ninh’s development space. Some areas are driven by industry, urban development and services, while others derive values from forests, rivers, lakes, agriculture, landscapes and cultural assets.
Each space has its own distinct function and value. The master plan calls for the protection of environmentally sensitive areas, the development of green, smart and sustainable urban areas, the expansion of green spaces and water bodies, the collection and treatment of wastewater and solid waste and the priority given to climate-resilient infrastructure.
Bac Ninh has developed strategies, planning, schemes and plans for environment protection. The decisive step is to change the plans into specific standards in selecting and controlling development. First and foremost, planning must be guided by discipline.
Besides, it is essential to add green criteria in evaluation of project and policy efficiency.
One project creating additional production values but placing big pressure on the environment should not be considered a high-tech project that effectively utilises resources and has low emissions.
Agriculture also needs to shift into circular and sustainable development, applying high technologies and adapting to climate changes.
Suitable areas should be regarded as ecological buffer zones, landscape spaces and an integral part of the city's green structure.
The community must accompany the government and businesses in developing green lifestyle.
However, it is only stable when major decisions on planning, investment and infrastructure development are headed in the right direction.
Bac Ninh has sufficient drivers for rapid growth. The industrial space continues to be expanded, strategic infrastructure has been constructed and the development space has been re-organised.
What is more necessary at this stage is a guiding principle to ensure that these drivers move in the same direction. “Green” is that principle.
When every development decision is assessed with the question whether it will make the city greener, more sustainable and better for people’s lives, “green” will no longer be merely the first item on a set of criteria.
Instead, it will become one of the key pathways for Bac Ninh to achieve its goal of becoming a livable city from its new position.
Reader's comments (0)