With a large forest area and high forest coverage, Quang Ngai Province is implementing comprehensive measures for sustainable forest management and protection while preparing to participate in the carbon credit market.
According to the Quang Ngai Forest Protection Department, the Province currently has about 826,000 hectares of forest. Experts estimate that the Province's forests absorb and store about 2 million tons of carbon annually, equivalent to roughly 2 million carbon credits.
Under the South Central Coast and Central Highlands Emissions Reduction Program through the LEAF initiative, Quang Ngai is expected to be allocated about 1.13 million carbon credits.
Alongside preparations to tap forest carbon revenue, the province is also maximizing the effectiveness of its forest environmental services payment policy. By the end of October 2026, more than VND400 billion had been paid to forest owners, communities, and households.
According to Director Nguyen Van Nam of the Quang Ngai Forest Protection Department, generating economic value from forest carbon requires completing legal frameworks and databases, developing projects, and mobilizing resources.
The process must fully comply with registration, measurement, assessment, verification, issuance, and trading procedures while ensuring benefit-sharing in accordance with regulations. Once technical and legal requirements are met, carbon credit revenue will provide additional funding for forest protection and development while encouraging forest owners and local residents to maintain long-term commitments to forests.
To enhance the value of forest resources, Quang Ngai Province is focusing on completing forest databases and conducting forest inventories. The Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment is accelerating forest inventories and surveys under directives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the provincial People's Committee, with results expected to be announced in 2027.
The Province is also working with the Vietnam Academy of Forest Sciences to develop pilot forest carbon projects as a foundation for broader implementation.
Do Tam Hien, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai People's Committee, said forest carbon credit development contributes to green growth goals, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and higher economic value for forests.
Once projects receive carbon credit certification, carbon revenue could provide additional funding for forest protection and development while creating incentives for forest owners and local communities to remain engaged in forestry over the long term.
