Willing to contribute more to global efforts

Vietnam hopes that at COP28, countries will announce plans to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) at higher levels, contributing to the global common effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as enhance adaptation and resilience to climate change.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Nguyen Manh Tuan gave an interview to TG&VN Newspaper on the occasion of the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation attending the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the COP 26 Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. (Source: VNA)

COP28 takes place at Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12. Could you please tell us the purpose and significance of this year's COP Conference?

COP28 is expected to bring together more than 70,000 delegates, including heads of state, government officials, leaders of international organizations, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth and non-state actors. The UAE said COP28 will feature the largest youth climate delegate programme ever and indigenous pavilions, with practical activities aimed at finding solutions to protect 80% of the world’s biodiversity.

In particular, at COP28 this year, the whole world will come together to evaluate the achievements based on the first Global Stocktake published at the conference in the UAE.

Choosing the theme "Cohesion - Action - Efficiency", what notable contents will be discussed at the COP28 Conference?

At COP28, the host UAE developed a detailed action plan, based on the results of many discussions, exchanges and consultations with governments and stakeholders.

COP28 focuses on four pillars: Closely monitoring the energy transition; addressing climate finance; adapting to climate change to protect people's lives and livelihoods; and increasing coverage of all climate change goals.

The focus of this action plan is to aim to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius as set out in the Paris Agreement.

First, countries need to work to triple renewable energy capacity, double energy efficiency and hydrogen production to 180 million tonnes per year by 2030.

The next step is to accelerate the application of technology in industries that are difficult to reduce emissions, while at the same time, conducting important dialogues with multinational organizations.

Accordingly, first, national governments need to implement comprehensive climate finance transformation rather than piecemeal reforms. There needs to be a particular focus on supporting positive, climate-responsive development across the Global South, ensuring that developing countries have access to affordable and readily available climate finance, and promoting a just energy transition.

The UAE - the host of COP28, has been working with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB) and the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) to open up capital markets, standardise voluntary carbon markets and encourage private financing.

Second, donors need to double adaptation funding by 2025 for poor countries to honor their commitments to carbon emission reduction targets and complete the $100 billion commitment this year.

Third, people’s lives and livelihoods are at the centre. Governments need to focus on the pillars of nature protection, food security, health and resilience to achieve the Global Goals on climate adaptation.

Fourth, governments should integrate national food system transformation plans into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national adaptation plans, and participate in the first-ever climate-health ministerial meeting at COP28. The UAE co-hosted the event with WHO, Germany, Kenya, the UK, Egypt, Brazil and Fiji.

Fifth, break down barriers between traditional and new energy sectors, and initiate an integrated dialogue between energy agencies and organizations such as the IEA, UNFCCC and IRENA, where member states agree and propose concrete actions to closely monitor the energy transition.

COP28 conference is held in Dubai, UAE from November 30 to December 12.

Ambassador, could you tell us about Vietnam's contributions and commitments through recent COP Conferences?

Party and State leaders are very concerned about climate change prevention and green development, especially in the context that Vietnam is one of the five countries most affected by climate change.

Immediately after the COP26 and COP27 Conferences, Vietnam has implemented related tasks to implement its commitments, in which the Government has established a National Steering Committee to implement Vietnam's commitments at COP26, issued Decision No. 888/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, the National Strategy on Climate Change for the period up to 2050, the National Strategy on Green Growth for the period 2021-2030 and vision to 2050, the Nationally Determined Contribution updated in 2022 and commitments at COP26, the Sustainable Forestry Development Program for the period 2021-2030; implemented the Power Plan VIII, etc.

Vietnam has participated in the Zero Net Emissions Asia Community Initiative initiated by Japan and cooperated with many international partners to implement Vietnam's commitments such as the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korean Ministry of Environment, the Japanese Ministry of Environment, the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Energy Alliance for the Planet and People (GEAPP), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP), banks: Citi Bank, HSBC, Standard Chartered, etc.

Resolutely implementing related work to fulfill commitments, what is the significance of the Vietnamese high-ranking leaders attending COP28, Ambassador?

The participation of Vietnamese senior leaders at COP28 is of great significance, conveying many important messages from our Party and State to international friends.

First, we reaffirm our Party's policy on foreign affairs, especially on climate change. Vietnam is an active and responsible member of the international community. Vietnam is ready to cooperate with UN members in responding to global challenges, including climate change;

Second, affirming Vietnam's strong support for the UAE, the host country of COP28, a potential new partner in this field.

At COP28 this year, Vietnam will have an exhibition booth to introduce our country's climate change response efforts. Within the framework of the Conference, there will also be: The launching ceremony of Vietnam's Just Energy Transition Plan (JETP), activities to introduce Vietnam's mitigation, adaptation and green growth efforts in recent times.

Vietnam hopes that at COP28, countries will announce plans to implement NDCs at higher levels, thereby contributing to the global common effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance adaptation and resilience to climate change.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UAE Nguyen Manh Tuan.

The UAE has made great efforts to prepare for COP28. How does the Ambassador assess the role of the host country?

The UAE considers this the biggest foreign event in 2023.

As the host, the UAE has high expectations for COP28 to be successful, not only in terms of organization but especially in terms of results, specifically: reaching consensus on the “Global Assessment” announced for the first time at COP28; Finding an agreement for the Loss and Damage Fund; Reaching a positive agreement on a roadmap for fossil fuel reduction to ensure the Net Zero target; Reaching an agreement on financial measures to help Southern Hemisphere countries respond to climate change and ensure the goal of keeping global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius; Finally, proving that the Hamas-Israel conflict does not affect the organization and results of COP28, thereby affirming the capacity, position and role of the UAE.

Recently, the UAE announced that it has completed the campaign to get developed countries to support the full $100 billion for climate finance goals.

The UAE is one of Vietnam’s leading economic partners in the Middle East. How does the Ambassador assess the cooperation space between the two countries in the coming time, and the priorities for promoting cooperation, including combating climate change?

Vietnam-UAE relations have been nurtured over the past 30 years in both quantity and quality. Leaders of the two countries share the same viewpoint on cooperation and comprehensive development of relations, especially in the economic field. In recent times, friendly cooperation has developed rapidly towards substance and effectiveness. The prospects for cooperation between the two countries are very large.

Economic cooperation has always been an important pillar and a bright spot in the overall picture of bilateral cooperation. The two countries are accelerating negotiations to complete the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The signing of the CEPA is of great significance, an important milestone in the Vietnam-UAE relationship in general and in economic, trade and investment cooperation in particular.

The UAE is an international center for trade, investment, finance and energy. Vietnam is a major producer of goods, with abundant agricultural and seafood products, meeting your needs. The two economies have potential, capacity to complement and support each other, for the common benefit of the two countries. In particular, combating climate change is a new and promising area of ​​cooperation.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hoi-nghi-cop28-san-sang-dong-gop-cao-hon-vao-no-luc-chung-toan-cau-251457.html