Assessing Vietnam’s Environmental Laws and Direction for Improvement

Abstract Environmental protection has gotten much attention and been prioritized in policy making for economic – social development of countries around the world, including Vietnam. The policies have been gradually institutionalized into law. Environmental Protection Law comes into existence in Vietnam as in other developing countries, which could be affirmed as the latest legal field. Before Environmental Protection Law was issued as an independent legal document by the National Assembly, other environmental regulations in Vietnam covered some aspects of environmental protection to meet management need without targeting the protection of environmental factors. Environment or environment-related regulations have been found in many separate legal documents. In order to meet the growing demand for integration, Vietnam needs to continue to reform environmental regulations. The paper analyzes the Vietnamese environmental regulations and practical implementation, thereby giving some suggestions.