ANTD.VN - Net Zero is not a luxury game for the “rich”. It is the responsibility and right of each individual and business, starting from the awareness of a greener and more sustainable future.
That was the sharing of Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Executive Director of Research and Development (R&D) - Steering Committee of Vinamilk's Net Zero project when asked about "Net Zero - The game of the rich?" at the International Conference Net Zero - Green Transition: Opportunities for leaders organized by VTV recently in Hanoi.
Net Zero – A Rich Man's Game?
Many issues related to sustainable development and Net Zero were discussed at the conference. Among them, the first question to open the conference: “Is Net Zero a game for the rich?” received special attention from many audiences. According to a quick survey at the conference, investment costs related to sustainable development and green transition are considered not small and the “rich” here are not only individuals, but more broadly understood as businesses and countries with strong economic potential.
When asked about this point of view, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, R&D Executive Director, representing Vinamilk participating in the discussion, said that regardless of rich or poor, climate change has been and is affecting all components of society, directly affecting every meal and our daily lives.
"Everyone is negatively affected. Daily meals have begun to have this negative presence. I think Net Zero is not a luxury game for the rich but an obligation, responsibility and, importantly, the right to a better and safer life for everyone," Mr. Khanh affirmed.
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| Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh - Vinamilk R&D Executive Director spoke at the Net Zero Conference - Green Transition: Opportunity for leaders |
Mr. Khanh cited that when implementing a sustainable development project, like any other project, investment costs and profit margins must be calculated, but according to Vinamilk's experience starting more than 10 years ago, if investment is made early, costs will be lower and benefits will be much greater.
Vinamilk invests in emission-reducing, environmentally friendly technologies, including operational management software to increase efficiency, optimize energy for machinery and equipment, using LGV robots to replace old forklifts to reduce emissions by up to 62%, or a heat recovery system that recovers up to 92% of excess heat and reuses it to save electricity. This company estimates that the money from saving resources now and in the future will bring higher benefits than the initial investment cost, especially when the price of raw materials/fuels is increasingly expensive.
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| Modern LGV robots reduce emissions by 62% compared to traditional forklifts |
Sharing on the sidelines of the event, Mr. Khanh said that for small and medium enterprises, without capital to invest in large transformation projects, requiring large resources, they can still participate in green transformation in investment activities suitable to the characteristics of the production model and the scale of the enterprise. From another perspective, environmental protection actions such as reducing plastic waste, saving water, electricity, etc. are almost cost-free, can be done immediately and daily. Therefore, according to Mr. Khanh, the important point here is the awareness of the leadership, employees and the entire community that will impact green transformation actions.
Experts from international organizations attending the Conference also said that in addition to “self-transformation”, Vietnamese enterprises need to quickly prepare strategies, awareness and knowledge to take advantage of green capital sources, investment support and not miss opportunities during this period.
Green transition – an opportunity for leaders
In fact, the green transition is a long and difficult journey. According to statistics, 37 billion tons of CO2 were emitted globally in 2022 - the highest level since 1900. According to the World Bank's estimate (2022), Vietnam may need to invest an additional 368 billion USD until 2040, equivalent to 6.8% of GDP per year when pursuing a development path that combines resilience and net zero emissions. Of which, the decarbonization journey to meet international commitments accounts for about 30% of the resource demand.
"However, the public sector will only be able to meet about one-third of the required resources; while the green financial market is currently in the early stages of resource development, the mobilization through the green financial market is very small compared to the demand," Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc emphasized when speaking at the workshop.
AFD Vietnam Director Hervé Conan said that across the globe, climate change will impact the quality of life and the economy. A 3 degree Celsius temperature increase would negatively impact more than 10% of global GDP. In just one year, the economic cost of natural disasters has tripled, reaching $830 million in 2022.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is one of the countries vulnerable to climate change and is also one of the 20 largest emitters in the world, with CO2 emissions doubling in the past 10 years. “With an economic growth rate of 6-7% per year, Vietnam will be one of the largest emitters in the world,” emphasized the representative of AFD Vietnam.
“We must change now. The Net Zero target by 2050 requires an energy transition and the participation of people. There must be a strategy to convert energy to alternative energy sources,” emphasized Mr. Hervé Conan.
Regarding this aspect, at the end of May, Vinamilk announced the first factory and farm to achieve carbon neutrality according to PAS 2060:2014 standards, certified by independent international organizations. Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh said that this result comes from a dual action when Vinamilk has applied emission reduction solutions, especially switching to green energy, using low-carbon technology... at the same time, the enterprise has maintained a green tree fund to absorb carbon for many years.
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| Vinamilk received certification for carbon neutral factories and farms according to PAS 2060:2014 standards |
Choosing the hashtag #Leader, Vinamilk representative also said that, if talking about the advantages of being a leader, green products will help build consumer and community trust in products and businesses. In addition, Vietnam is strongly integrating, this will allow businesses to be more proactive when the world sets up "green fences" in the fields of import and export, investment, etc.
Green transition is not only a trend but has become a commitment of many economies and businesses. No country can achieve the goal of net zero emissions - "Net Zero" without a comprehensive transition. "The goal of green growth is equality, inclusion, leaving no one behind... These are long-term benefits. The sooner we do it, the more effective and the lower the risk", Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, emphasized at the discussion.
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