Vietnam participates in a series of important initiatives at COP28

Since declaring its commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at COP 26, the Vietnamese Government, ministries, sectors and localities have taken drastic and specific actions to achieve this goal.

Participate in important initiatives

Answering the press before the trip of the Prime Minister and his wife to attend COP 28, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet said that at this Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to announce a number of new initiatives and commitments of Vietnam to best respond to climate change with the international community in the coming time.

Vietnam's active participation and actions will have a significant impact on the success of the Conference and global efforts to respond to climate change.

Also sharing with the press about this event, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh said that right before COP 28 took place, many countries wanted Vietnam to participate in the Initiatives and it is expected that Vietnam will participate in important initiatives at COP28 this time, including the Global Cooling Commitment and the Initiative to implement Article 6 of the Paris Agreement...

In addition, Vietnam will also consider participating in a number of other Initiatives such as: COP28 Global Energy Efficiency and Renewables Commitment; COP28 Statement on Climate and Health; Group of Countries Supporting Culture-Related Climate Action at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Statement on Resilient Food Systems, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Action; Gender-Responsive Just Transition and Partnership for Climate Action...

Vietnam's viewpoint at the Conference is that climate change response must be carried out on the principles of fairness and justice, with a global and all-people approach; based on synchronous institutions, effective and efficient policies and laws, science, technology and innovation, promoting internal resources and promoting international cooperation.

In addition, other principles include strengthening global solidarity, unifying a new vision, having new thinking to bring breakthroughs in implementation, making new determination to act decisively, effectively and through comprehensive, innovative and creative global solutions, focusing on people, not leaving behind any country, community or people.

Vietnam also calls on countries, organizations and corporations to seriously implement their commitments with specific and practical actions. Developed countries need to take a pioneering role and at the same time increase support for developing countries in achieving a fair energy transition through financial provision, especially non-refundable aid, technology transfer and capacity building. At the same time, Vietnam also calls on countries and organizations to ensure fairness and climate justice.

This means ensuring national energy security and autonomy, access to clean energy at affordable costs for all businesses, people and jobs for workers; strengthening adaptation finance, and early implementation of the Loss and Damage Fund to increase support for developing countries to respond to climate change.

Important global events

COP 28 is an extremely important event in the context of climate change continuing to be the biggest global challenge, receiving the highest attention from the international community in 2023. The event has more than 130 Heads of State and Prime Ministers of countries attending to discuss and seek long-term solutions in responding to climate change.

This is the most important multilateral event on climate change this year.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife depart for COP28 and official visit to Türkiye (Photo: Vu Khuyen/VOV)

Globally, the severe impacts of climate change require countries to take urgent and strong action to achieve the Paris Agreement target of keeping global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

This means closing the gap between commitments and results, especially in terms of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, climate finance (including adaptation finance) and supporting developing countries to overcome losses and damages caused by climate change.

Responding to climate change requires a global, all-people approach that ensures climate equity and justice and is based on international solidarity and cooperation, in which developed countries play a leading role, creating momentum for climate action, while increasing support for developing countries.

Therefore, by attending the COP 28 Conference this time, Vietnam hopes that the Conference will achieve substantial progress, especially in the four areas of top concern.

First, countries continue to take strong actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carry out the energy transition in a sustainable and equitable manner. Second, developed countries fulfill their commitments, especially in providing finance and supporting technology transfer to developing countries in this process (including fulfilling the commitment to the target of mobilizing 100 billion USD per year and increasing the commitment for the period up to 2025 and 2030).

Third, pay due attention to climate change adaptation activities, and develop a clear and feasible Global Adaptation Targets Framework. Fourth, put the Loss and Damage Fund into operation soon to have a new, larger financial source to support developing countries and those most severely affected by climate change.

As planned, COP28 is expected to release the first Global Stock Take (GST) to comprehensively assess the progress of implementing the Paris Agreement to keep the earth's temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial period.

This is an important tool that helps the world align its climate action efforts, including the measures that need to be taken to close gaps in current efforts.

This year's COP28 is expected to be one of the most intense meetings, but it is also an opportunity for the world to cooperate and discuss to find practical, feasible solutions to the climate crisis.

In recent times, Vietnam has also taken drastic and specific actions to realize its commitments from the COP conferences.
Among these, the adoption of the Power Plan VIII significantly increased the position and contribution of renewable energy in Vietnam's overall electricity generation. Vietnam also joined the Political Declaration on a Just Energy Transition (JETP) with a number of international partners, thereby attracting resources for the implementation of a just energy transition in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s goals at COP27 focus on three main areas. First, discussing how to put agreed commitments and mechanisms into practice. Second, taking the lead in energy transition, along with green transition and digital transformation. Third, mobilizing resources and learning from the experiences of development partners, while participating in many initiatives, especially those mobilizing financial resources and initiatives related to the energy transition process.

Phuong Anh (Synthesis)

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