Climate commitments to be voiced in Paris

The strong commitment will be reflected by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s participation in the conference, which aims to finalise a legally binding and universal agreement on climate change, with the aim to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius.

“Vietnam’s participation in the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) will highlight its commitments in joining hands with the international community in responding to climate change,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

“It is also an opportunity for Vietnam to boost co-operation with nations and international organisations to seek greater international financial support for Vietnam’s response to climate change.”

Dung said before his trip that Vietnam had been actively performing the obligations of a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, and the country had played an increasingly active and responsible role at international forums and conferences on climate change.

“Along with the support of the international community, Vietnam has prioritised activities to respond to climate change,” he said, adding that the country had effectively implemented its National Strategy on Climate Change, focusing on applying advanced technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The COP21 will see Vietnam highlight its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution, which stresses the country’s contributions in GHG emission mitigation based on its specific socio-economic conditions, and its past-present-future emission levels.

The objective of the INDC Vietnam is providing initial information about the country’s intended contributions to the UNFCCC with clear and transparent information with quantitative and expected GHG reductions and climate change adaptation activities to be carried out in Vietnam in the 2021-2030 period.

“So, it represents great efforts by the Vietnamese government and the world community to respond to climate change in order to protect the earth’s climate system and promote sustainable development in the future,” said Nguyen Khac Hieu, vice chairman of Vietnam National Steering Committee for UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol.

“National efforts are also reflected in the government’s consideration of climate change response as a vital issue and a responsibility of the whole country in simultaneously conducting GHG emission mitigation and adaptation activities and in the efficient use of natural resources,” said Hieu, who is also deputy director general of the Department of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change (DMHCC) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Pham Van Tan, deputy chief of Office of National Committee on Climate Change and permanent deputy chief negotiator of Vietnam on climate change, said Vietnam could reduce its GHG emissions by 8 per cent in 2030 by using its national resources, and 25 per cent if receiving more international support.

“At the COP 21, we also stand ready to exchange views with other nations about Vietnam’s INDC, and make opportunities for development partners to invest into Vietnam in projects that will help decrease GHG emissions,” said Tan, who is also a DMHCC deputy director general.

He added that with its internal resources, Vietnam had made commitments suitable to its national conditions, feasible, and fair to the country’s GHG emissions in the past, the present and forecasts for the future.

“Vietnam has also suggested that other nations act the same as it has done. They must have equal contributions and be responsible for their emissions in the past, which has led to climate change,” he said.

“Such nations must make more contributions in GHG emission reductions and provision of financial, technological and capacity strengthening assistance for developing nations like Vietnam.”

Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by climate change and sea level rise. A lot of Vietnamese people live mainly on agro-forestry-fishery production which significantly depends on meteorology and hydrology, and is vulnerable to impacts of climate change.

Dung said Vietnam would focus resources on realising its commitments with its utmost efforts in line with the country’s socio-economic conditions in order to join the international community in responding to global climate change.

After his stay in Paris from November 30 to December 1, Dung will visit Belgium on December 2, where he will meet with Belgian and EU leaders to discuss measures to cement Belgian-Vietnam and EU-Vietnam relations.

Dung and the EU leaders will witness the signing of a joint statement on the official conclusion of the negotiations of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, which will be officially inked after the governments of 28 European nations and Vietnam adopt it.