Climate change impacts on energy, transport assessed

International and domestic experts have jointly assessed the impact of climate change on energy and transport as part of the first phase of a 2.5-million USD project funded by the Asian Development Bank.
International and domestic experts have jointly assessed the impact ofclimate change on energy and transport as part of the first phase of a2.5-million USD project funded by the Asian Development Bank.

The two-phase initiative, kicked off in early March, aims to providetechnical assistance towards the National Target Programme on ClimateChange.

"We chose to focus on energy and transportas two key factors contributing to the socio-economic development of thenation," said Hoang Van Tam, head of the Ministry of Industry andTrade's Environment Management Department.

Theinitial phase of the project is scheduled to complete by the end of thisyear, said project deputy team leader Ha Dang Son, from the MoIT.

Five pilot programmes, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions, will be introduced at the beginning of next year during thesecond phase of the project, expected to finish by the end of 2013, hesaid.

GHG emissions will be culled in sectors such as industry and maritime transport in Da Nang city.

A street light energy efficiency programme and green buildingsprogramme will in turn be piloted in Ho Chi Minh City and Thanh Hoaprovince.

According to the MoIT, HCM Cityrepresents the most dynamic economic development area while Da Nangis a new model city with advantages in geographical location,infrastructure and socio-economic conditions and Thanh Hoa province isin need of sustainable development proposals.

Bernoit Laplante, project team leader, said five main targets need to bemet in lowering GHG emissions including developing a national emissionfactor for local coal, separating energy sector consumption, improvingthe "Long range Energy Alternatives Planning System" (LEAP) model,building low carbon and greenhouse emission scenarios and assessing GHGmitigation.

LEAP is a widely used software tool usedin energy policy analysis and climate change mitigation assessment,developed at the Stockholm Environment Institute.

The team will also assess the impact of climate change on transport and energy infrastructure, he said.

At national level, assessments will be conducted on national highways,ports, airports and power generation facilities, transmission lines andpower stations, he added.

Via such assessments, top policy-makers are expected to set up climate change response scenarios.-VNA

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