Vietnam’s rapid development comes with sizeable drawbacks, as it is currently coupled with a rise in environmental pollution, such as increased exhaust fumes, noise pollution and growing problems of solid waste disposal and wastewater sewage. The bilateral Macroeconomic Reform Programme, carried out by GIZ on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, has supported the Ministry of Finance with regard to environmental taxation since 2008. The new bill entered into force in 2012, making Vietnam a frontrunner in South-East Asia on environmental taxation.