Posted on June, 21 2024

"Cat Tien National Park is the first national park in Vietnam to be recognized as an IUCN Green List," said Mr. Pham Xuan Thinh, Director of Cat Tien National Park. "This prestigious recognition underscores our commitment to preserving the unique biodiversity and natural heritage of Cat Tien."

Asia accounts for 50% of the globally approved Green List sites. Viet Nam was one of the first countries in Asia to adopt the Green List (since 2015), along with China and the Republic of Korea. This recognition for Cat Tien National Park marks a turning point for conservation in Viet Nam. 

Cat Tien National Park has pursued IUCN Green List certification through rigorous efforts in conservation with community engagement. Cat Tien National Park's journey towards Green List certification began with an in-depth assessment of its conservation measures, which included the protection of endangered species and the preservation of its diverse ecosystems. The park undertook biodiversity monitoring, habitat restoration, and species conservation projects. 

Educational programs and initiatives have been implemented to raise awareness about the importance of protecting natural resources, and local community members have been involved in conservation activities, providing them with sustainable livelihood opportunities. Furthermore, Cat Tien National Park has strengthened its management practices by enhancing its monitoring and enforcement capabilities. Advanced technologies and methodologies have been adopted in patrolling, protecting, and monitoring wildlife. The park’s staff has received training to effectively manage and protect the area.

This holistic approach has been crucial in Cat Tien National Park’s successful bid for the IUCN Green List, setting a high standard for other protected area management in Vietnam and beyond.

USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity has supported Cat Tien National Park in surveying the park’s diverse array of wildlife as part of the largest-ever biodiversity survey in Viet Nam covering 20 protected areas; strengthening capability, investing in technology and equipment, such as Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) for biodiversity monitoring and patrols to improve park management; establishing the Community-based Patrol Teams (CPT) and a collaborative management mechanism to bolster community engagement in conservation, which is fundamental for promoting good governance, achieving successful conservation outcomes and ensuring that those living near the park are engaged in conservation decision-making. 
More importantly, the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity has been instrumental in aiding protected areas in Viet Nam to strive for IUCN Green List recognition. Not only Cat Tien National Park, the project sites benefiting from this support include Cuc Phuong National Park, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vu Quang National Park, Bach Ma National Park, Dong Chau-Khe Nuoc Trong Nature Reserve, Song Thanh National Park, Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park.

"The inclusion of Cat Tien National Park on the IUCN Green List is a significant milestone not only for the park itself but also for the broader conservation community in Vietnam. This achievement is a testament to the efforts as well as reemphasizing the VFBC project’s commitment to protecting the rich biodiversity of Viet Nam. The project will continue to support and accompany national parks and conserved areas to strive for the Green List status during the remaining time of the project," said Mr. Vu Van Hung, the Director of VFBC project, Deputy Head of the Management Board of Forestry Projects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The current protected areas’ funding system typically relies on government budgets and lacks dedicated funding to meet the needs of infrastructure, human resources, skills training, and technology upgrades of national parks and conserved areas for forest management and biodiversity conservation. The support provided by the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity is a significant advantage. This project funding not only eases the financial burden but also ensures the evaluation process proceeds smoothly, thereby fostering a stronger foundation for biodiversity conservation.

“This achievement is a testament to the progress Cat Tien National Park has made in improving protected area management. The dedication of the park and support from Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and USAID over the last two years has been critical to this mission. IUCN’s Green List establishes the most rigorous criteria to assess area-based conservation and protected area management. Consequently, meeting these criteria will help the conserved areas to measure progress and conservation impacts, thereby identifying future conservation priorities. With support from the USAID project, implemented by WWF, protected areas in Viet Nam have been able to improve the quality of their management to achieve globally recognized standards”, said Mr. Thinh Van Ngoc, CEO of WWF-Viet Nam. 

The IUCN Green List is the global standard that describes successful area-based conservation. It offers an assured verification process, awarding certificates to sites that can demonstrate that they meet and maintain the full set of 17 globally consistent criteria and 50 indicators that address four themes: good governance, sound design and planning, effective management, and successful conservation outcomes. The Green List evaluation is overseen by IUCN through an independent expert panel. The Green List Standard remains globally consistent but is adapted and applied to the local context. It can be used as a diagnostic framework to conduct gap analysis so that managers can develop solutions to improve management practices through performance outcomes. 

“Achieving Green List status is not merely about pursuing a title, it represents a long-term and persistent commitment: The evidence that needs to be assembled to demonstrate compliance with the standard’s 17 criteria is demanding. The fact that two of the three Green List sites in Southeast Asia are in Vietnam (Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve was recognized in 2021) reflects the determination of the government of Vietnam to improve standards of protected area management. We look forward to working with several other protected areas to secure Green List status by the end of 2025.” said Jake Brunner, Head of IUCN’s Lower Mekong Sub-region.
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Introduction
The IUCN Green List (GL) is a global standard for protected and conserved areas, providing a measure of success in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. As of 2022, this initiative has gained significant traction, with 60+ participating countries around the world. Recognizing the importance of biodiversity conservation, Viet Nam has become an active participant in the IUCN GL process. This briefing provides an update to different stakeholders including the media about the IUCN GL status of Viet Nam candidates. The Decision XIII/2 of the CBD directs to “Promote the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas as a voluntary standard to promote and encourage protected area management effectiveness”.

What is the IUCN Green List and what has it achieved so far?
The IUCN GL is a global initiative for successful nature conservation. At its heart is the Green List Sustainability Standard, which provides a global benchmark for how to meet the protected and conserved area management challenges of the 21st century. The IUCN GL aims to recognise and increase the number of protected and conserved areas that deliver long-lasting conservation results for people and nature. It is jointly led by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and by the IUCN Secretariat.
 
The IUCN GL Standard is organized into four components:
1.     Good Governance
2.     Sound Design and Planning
3.     Effective Management
4.     Successful Conservation Outcomes
 
The first three components support the fourth component. Each component is supported by criteria and indicators to measure achievement. There are 17 criteria with 50 indicators covering all four components.
 
Since the IUCN GL Standard was launched at the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress, it has achieved the following global results:77 certified protected and conserved areas from 18 countries around the world have been Green Listed (as of end of 2023).

• 300+ engaged sites, of which 108 formally committed to the IUCN Green List (approximate number of formally and informally registered sites and networks of sites).
• 60+ countries are engaged in the IUCN GL community globally.
• 31 greenlisted sites in 10 countries in Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India. Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, and Viet Nam.

How is the IUCN Green List different from other cerrtifications?
Unlike designations such as World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, IUCN GL supports successful protected and conserved area performance by recognising, incentivising and building capacity to achieve defined
impact in the full range of legal, cultural, social, geographical and ecological conditions. It provides an international benchmark for management performance that is quantitative, consistent, and covers all dimensions of area-based conservation.
 
A protected or conserved area that reaches the IUCN Green List Standard is certified and recognized as achieving ongoing results for people and nature in a fair and effective way. Any site can join, and work its way towards achieving verified success, and then maintain the Standard or further improve.
 
How does the Green List asssessment work?
IUCN GL process includes three phases: Application Phase, Candidate Phase and Green List Phase. An area becomes part of the IUCN Green List Program when it enters the Application Phase. Progress to each phase is independently evaluated by a national Expert Assessment Group for the Green List (EAGL) and an independent reviewer.
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EAGLs are expert bodies convened by WCPA and approved by an assigned Reviewer. Their primary task is to ensure that the IUCN GL Standard is applicable in their jurisdiction and to evaluate PAs against the indicators of the Standard.
 
The Vietnam EAGL was formed in April 2017. In November 2023, it had eleven members with expertise in biodiversity, PA management, social science, ethnic and gender equality. The group has evaluated Van Long Nature Reserve and Cat Tien National Park. Van Long was recognized as an IUCN GL site in 2019.
 
Reviewers are independent qualified auditors or individuals with relevant experience. Their primary role is to ensure that the rules and procedures of the User Manual are consistently applied in the GL process. Currently, Assurance Services International (ASI) provides this service with representatives in each country where the GL is being implemented.
 
Viet Nam's Involvement
Viet Nam has made commendable strides in biodiversity conservation, and its participation in the IUCN GL reflects a commitment to global environmental sustainability. After a meticulous 2-year evaluation process, Vân Long was the first site in Southeast Asia to be greenlisted.
 
Currently, there are 10 PAs in Viet Nam participating in the GL program including Cuc Phương NP, Phong Nha-Ke Bang; Vu Quang; Bach Ma; Dong Chau-Khe Nuoc Trong, Song Thanh; Bidoup-Bui Ba; Cat Tien; Pu Mat; and Con Dao. Two are in the Application Phase (Con Dao, Pu Mat) and the others are in the Candidate Phase.
 
Cat Tien National Park is currently the site that is closest to the GL Phase. It is an outstanding site having implemented biodiversity monitoring since the early 2000s, with data on key species populations like birds, primates, deer, and crocodiles. At EAGL meetings in April and September 2023, the Cat Tien dossier was scrutinized and all EAGL members approved the decision to nominate the site. The independent reviewer approved the dossier in December 2023 and submitted it to the GL Committee for final assessment and Green Listing.

Benefits for Viet Nam

• International recognition: Inclusion in the IUCN GL provides global recognition, attracting attention to Viet Nam's commitment to biodiversity conservation.
• Tourism and sustainable development: GL sites often experience increased tourism, contributing to local economies while ensuring sustainable development practices.
• Good governance in the Green List is all about inclusiveness, equity and rights. It is about giving a voice to the people that matter in conservation, and conserving area-based conservation efforts.
• IUCN Green List is a much more comprehensive measure of management effectiveness than the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT). It is also much less subjective. It therefore provides a more consistent and globally comparable measure of management effectiveness for donors such as the GEF and GCF to use when financing protected areas.
• Networking and learning opportunities: Participation in the IUCN GL opens doors for international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and access to funding for conservation projects.USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity empowers Protected Areas in Viet Nam to achieve IUCN Green List recognition for biodiversity conservation ​The USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity has played a pivotal role in supporting PAs to aim for IUCN Green List recognition. The project sites include Cuc Phuong National Park, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vu Quang National Park, Bach Ma National Park, Dong Chau-Khe Nuoc Trong Nature Reserve, Song Thanh National Park, Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park and Cat Tien National Park.

In line with the IUCN GL regulations, the burden of the evaluation process lies with the PA management boards. This involves substantial effort associated with evidence collection, drafting documentation, hosting meetings and facilitating EAGL site visits.

Within the existing PA funding system where reliance on government budgets is the norm and dedicated funding for monitoring and evaluation is absent, the support provided by USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity is a major advantage. Project funding not only alleviates the financial burden but also ensures that the evaluation process proceeds unhindered, fostering a more robust foundation for biodiversity conservation.
 
As the IUCN GL becomes the benchmark for assessing Protected Area management effectiveness, USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity support increases the chance of long-term government funding for the IUCN GL.Ms. Annie Wallace, Director of USAID/Vietnam Office of Climate Change, Energy and Environment, said: "USAID biodiversity conservation programming in Vietnam is supporting protected areas that exhibit good examples of management – like those outlined in the IUCN Green List standard - along with conservation best practices and initiatives. The recent camera trap survey shows good results in Cat Tien and it demonstrates that long term investments in improving management of protected areas yield conservation results, which is why the U.S. Mission to Vietnam through USAID is partnering with Cat Tien throughout the Green List assessment process. USAID intends to continue to support candidate sites to obtain Green List status to demonstrate effective management and Green List standard applicability."

 “The government has invested heavily in protected area staffing and infrastructure, yet wildlife continues to disappear, as the results of the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity camera trapping campaign clearly demonstrated. What is needed now is a renewed focus on protected area management effectiveness, which the IUCN GL is designed to assess and report on. Under USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity, IUCN is proud to be supporting the GL of eight protected areas”, shared by Mr. Jake Brunner – Head, IUCN Lower Mekong Subregion/Viet Nam Management.

Mr Nick Cox, Chief of Party- USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity, WWF stated "Measuring progress and conservation impact is vital to improving the overall performance of Vietnam’s national parks and nature reserves. The IUCN GreenList initiative helps forest owners see where improvements are needed if their protected area is to reach an international management standard.”
 
USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity support extends beyond mere financial assistance: it provides a road map for integrating the IUCN GL into PA management policies and plans. It thereby contributes to the sustainable development of protected areas, establishing a legacy of environmental stewardship and resilience.
 
Conclusion
Viet Nam’s engagement with the IUCN GL is a testament to its dedication to preserving its rich biodiversity and promoting sustainable development. As the assessment process continues, the global community eagerly awaits the results, anticipating the recognition of Viet Nam's important contributions to biodiversity conservation.