Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung speaks at the conference to launch the national strategy on green growth chaired by Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hanoi on October 29. (Photo courtesy of Ministry of Planning and Investment)“It is an important approach to pursue sustainable development, thuscontributing to post-COVID-19 economic recovery, transitioning to greeneconomic development, and at the same time creating a premise to realise thelong-term targets of low-carbon emissions and carbon neutrality so as tocontribute to limiting global temperature rise,” he said.
Minister Dung made the statement at a conference to implement the strategy chairedby the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hanoi on October 29.
Attendees at the conference included representatives from ministries, sectors,localities, embassies of the UK, Germany, the Republic of Korea, internationalorganisations, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, UNIDO, UNICEF,GIZ, KOICA, AFD, USAID, as well as representatives from businesses, academia,and researchers.
In light of the approved orientation, the strategy was developed on the basisof extensive consultations with stakeholders in ways consistent with recentCOVID-19-pandemic prevention regulations, the minister said.
The development process of the strategy received strong support, cooperationand input from ministries, sectors, localities, relevant industry associations,embassies, international organisations, and development partners, he said.
By acknowledging and taking into consideration the inputs from stakeholders,the Ministry of Planning and Investment has completed the strategy andsubmitted it to the Prime Minister for promulgation under Decision No 1658/QDTTgdated October 1, 2021.
The Prime Minister's approval of the strategy on the threshold of the 26thConference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on ClimateChange (COP26) in Glasgow, UK, which will take place in the next few days, hasdemonstrated Vietnam's strong commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissionsthrough practical and concrete actions.
“The strategy sets four important goals, namely reducing greenhouse gasemissions, greening economic sectors; greening lifestyles and promotingsustainable consumption, and greening the transition,” said Le Viet Anh,Director of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources andEnvironment under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
“The first objective of the strategy is to reduce the intensity of greenhousegas emissions per GDP, which was also the objective of the previous strategy.This aims to assess comparative greenhouse gases (GHG) emission mitigationpotential per unit of economic output, helping to determine the extent ofenvironmentally-friendliness of the economy as its size is increasing,contributing to realising the dual goal of protecting the environment anddeveloping “rapidly and sustainably,” he said.
Under the strategy, by 2030, the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions per GDPwill decrease by at least 15 percent compared to that of 2014. By 2050, theintensity of greenhouse gas emissions per GDP will reduce at least 30 percentcompared to that of 2014.
Hai Phong was the first locality to develop and implement a green growth planfor the 2014-2020 period. The city has succeeded in attracting a number ofsustainable investment projects in accordance with the local economicdevelopment conditions.
Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong municipal People's Committee Le Khac Nam saidthat the city had implemented a number of outstanding projects in the 2014-2020period, such as waste treatment projects and an electric bus on Cat Ba island.
International organisations have supported and co-ordinated with Hai Phong toimplement green and environmentally friendly projects. The city will movetowards applying digital technology, digital transformation, transforming theeconomic model towards greening, comprehensively implementing green economicdevelopment models including green ports, green islands,environmentally-friendly production model, reducing energy consumption in productionactivities, and applying renewable energy sources such as wind and wave energy.
Representatives from ministries, sectors, localities, embassies, internationalorganisations, development partners, and businesses spoke highly of the newapproach which was employed to determine the feasibility of the goals set forthin the strategy.
They also agreed with the plan and roadmap for the implementation of thestrategy and believe that the Strategy will help realise the goals that Vietnamhad set for 2030 and 2045. Ministries, sectors, localities, agencies andrelevant organisations agreed to work together immediately to devise a NationalGreen Growth Action Plan and Action Plans on sectoral and local levels.Development partners and international organisations are committed toaccompanying and supporting Vietnam to implement the strategy.
To conclude the meeting, Minister Dung emphasised the importance ofcollaboration during the implementation process, saying the support and closecoordination of ministries, sectors, domestic and international organisations,the business community and experts play a fundamental role to ensure that theimplementation of the strategy adheres to the views and orientations of theResolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the 10-year socio-economicdevelopment strategy 2021-2030, and the 5-year socio-economic development plan2021-2025.
Following the conference, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will presideover and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities to research andpropose to the Prime Minister to establish a national steering committee on greengrowth, make arrangements to devise a national green growth action plan, andimplement other important contents./.
VNA
