The Vietnam’s Environmental Police Department of known as the Green Police is the government agency for law enforcement in environmental protection. This special police department is initiated by the Vietnam government as they regulated environmental protection law. It is the result of rising awareness on natural damages and environmental degradation due to vast industrialization.

Vietnam is one of the new tiger in Asia and it attracts foreign capitals from all over the world. Natural resources and low wages labors become the main reasons why lots of industries moved their operation in Vietnam. No wonder, Vietnam has one of the highest economic rates among developing countries. However, vast industrialization leads to vast natural exploitations and the environment suffers from damages and degradation. The green police has a limited jurisdiction to ensure law enforcement in environmental protection. Since it was initiated, the Green Police makes a huge contribution in environmental protection. The Green Police has been uncovered lots of violations and most of them involving major companies. The violations are ranging from pollutions, wildlife trafficking, illegal lodging, toxic discharges, and many more.

As the forefront of environmental protection and law enforcement, Vietnam’s Environmental Police Department is still far from their ideal role. Their limited jurisdiction creates barriers to investigate law violations. Not to mention the bad legal system in this country that creates overlapping with other government agencies. It is highly needed to find a breakthrough policy on the legal system to eliminate these administrative and coordinative barriers.

Other barrier for environmental protection in this country is the legal certainty. Thousands of crimes against environmental protections are uncovered by the Green Police but only few of them really sentenced on the court. Well, it is not a secret that money could turn the law upside down in this country. Awareness from the people will be the best support for the Green Police to keep its remarkable job protecting the environment for all people welfare.