With the theme"Taking Responsibility, Taking Action", the sustainable developmentconference was organised by the InvestmentReview. It aims to bring multi-dimensional perspectives on responsibilityand action for Vietnam to build a green economy, realising the net zero goal by2050.
The event took placetwo years after the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), where 197 countriesparticipating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changeadopted a historic agreement. The agreement reaffirmed maintaining the goal oflimiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industriallevels and countries including Vietnam have committed to bringing net emissionsto zero by 2050.
Speaking at the event,Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuongsaid that sustainable development had become an overarching trend in the world.
“Green growth and sustainable development have a close relationship with eachother, being both a viewpoint and a goal throughout the socio-economicdevelopment policies of the Party and State, as shown in the 10-yearsocio-economic development strategy and 5-year socio-economic development plansof Vietnam, in which green growth is an important method to implementsustainable development,” said Phuong.
He said that Vietnamfaced a number of difficulties and challenges due to the rapid urbanisationprocess, creating great pressure on the need for infrastructure development andenvironmental pollution treatment. In addition, there are challenges of naturaldisasters, climate change and the effective and sustainable exploitation anduse of water, natural resources and land.
“Implementing green growth and sustainable development goals will be both achallenge and an opportunity for the business community and investors,” he stressed.
Phuong also proposed anumber of key solutions to promote and transform the implementation ofsustainable development goals in the coming time.
“It is necessary toperfect and improve the quality of socialist-oriented market economyinstitutions; Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of policy implementationthrough public administration reform and continue to promote the participationof disadvantaged groups in the decision-making process,” he stated.
At the same time, theDeputy Minister also emphasised the need to continueto prioritise investment in human resource development, science and technology,innovation and improvement of the economic infrastructure system to improveproductivity and promote sustainable economic growth.
Solutions also need tofocus on effective management and use of resources, strengthen environmentalprotection and response to climate change, prevent, combat and mitigate naturaldisasters; and promote the development of green economy and circular economy.
Le Trong Minh,editor-in-chief of Investment Review,highlighted sustainable development as an important task for Vietnam, adeveloping economy, and also one of the five countries most heavily affected byclimate change.
As a developingcountry, Minh said, there were still many difficulties but Vietnam had madecommitments to respond to climate change like developed countries. Therefore, Vietnamwould need appropriate steps and roadmaps as well as support and assistancefrom developed countries and partners in terms of capital, human resourcetraining, institution building, technology, and governance.
At the same time, Vietnamalso needed a business community with a high awareness of responsibility andproactive action, even when facing great difficulties and challenges in termsof financial and human resources. That’s the goal that the newspaper organisedthe conference, with discussions on responsibilities and actions from relevantparties to realise sustainable development goals, according to Minh.
The event was anopportunity for policymakers, representatives of management agencies,international organisations, economic experts and the business community todiscuss multi-dimensional perspectives on responsibility and action for Vietnamto build a green economy and realise the net zero goal by 2050.
The conference alsoheard economic experts and business leaders sharing their efforts inimplementing sustainable development and responding to climate change andproposed recommendations on sustainable development and perfecting the greentransformation strategy of businesses in Vietnam./.