Special edition  » The climate for change

During the last two decades, Vietnam has enjoyed remarkable achievements in reducing poverty and rapid economic growth has made these impressive results possible.

In order for Vietnam to continue reducing poverty, the country's Socio Economic Development Plan (SEDP) 2006-2010 places "pro-poor business-led economic growth" as its core strategy, with a vision to becoming a middle-income country by 2010 and an industrialised nation by 2020.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) built its assistance strategy for the country on the basis of Vietnam's SEDP 2006-2010 and increased the volume of its assistance to $1.5 billion per year, making the ADB one of Vietnam’s largest official development assistance (ODA) partners. Many development partners are also using the SEDP as the main reference point for assistance strategies focusing on inclusive and sustainable development.

It is clearly recognised that Vietnam is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts and many of its investments could be wiped out if appropriate action is not taken to mainstream climate change concerns into development planning. The issue is particularly timely as SEDP envisages massive investment to respond to the country's growing needs. The ADB will incorporate "climate proofing" considerations into all its future investments and directly support the country's adaptation measures.

This year, a large number of lives were lost to a series of typhoons and floods and the ADB expresses its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims. With the anticipated intensification of typhoons and floods as a result of climate change, Vietnam needs to enhance its capacity to cope with natural disasters, especially coastal regions and in the highlands. The integration of climate risks is being called for at all levels of planning and budgeting.

Even though Vietnam's historical contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is low, it is clearly recognised that rapid economic growth is changing the situation quickly. Emissions of GHG and other air pollutants are rapidly appearing in the energy and transport sectors. However, making these sectors more energy-efficient and less carbon-intensive is economically profitable, environmentally sustainable and socially beneficial.

Vietnam can be congratulated for incorporating such thinking as part of its National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change (NTP) and the ADB is pleased to assist the government in implementing the NTP through knowledge development, legislative framework support, capacity building, regional cooperation and investment.

Vietnam needs strong support from the international community in the form of low carbon technologies and financing to mitigate GHGs and adapt to climate change impacts. I sincerely hope that Vietnam will be empowered to rapidly transform itself into a low carbon, climate-resilient economy.