Measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission were the focus of a workshop held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Ho Chi Minh City on March 1.

The function aimed at collecting recommendations for a project on planning and implementing activities for GHG emission reduction.

Participants said GHG emission is a global issue as it is the main reason behind the climate change.

Yoshihiro Mizuno, an expert from JICA underlined the need to lower GHG emissions from human activities by reducing the emission of gases such as CO2, CH4, N2O, SF6 and NF3. 

He suggested reducing the use of electricity and fuel, and installing solar energy systems in buildings.

Nguyen Thi Thanh My, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment said HCM City is severely affected by climate change, which causes prolonged rainy season, and serious flood tide, among others. 

If a project to reduce GHG emission is piloted in HCM City, it will help the municipal authorities find effective solutions to issues related to both GHG emission and environmental pollution, she stressed. 

Luong Quang Huy from the Department of Hydrometeorology and Climate Change under the MoNRE said from the pilot project in HCM City, the ministry will build a national MRV (measuring, reporting and verification) tool system and submit to the Government for approval in 2018. 

In Vietnam, a series of policies, legal documents and programmes have been formulated and implemented to address both adaptation to climate change and mitigation of greenhouse emissions, including the National Target Programme for Response to Climate Change, the National Strategy on Climate Change and National Strategy on Green Growth, the 2006 National Forest Development Strategy, and the 2006-2020 National Forest Protection and Development Plan and Payments for Ecosystem Services Programme (Decree No.99/ND-CP dated December 2010).

Vietnam has also taken part in the UN-REDD Programme and FCPF as REDD is one of the most important measures to achieve the objectives of the above-mentioned policies. In 2012, the government approved its National REDD Action Plan for the 2011-2020 period (Decision No.799/QD-TTg); the plan is central to the National Climate Change Strategy and is the major framework for REDD implementation in Vietnam.

VNA