National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (Photo: VNA)

The conference is held by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the United Nations, and the Austrian Parliament.

Opening the conference, IPU President Gabriela Cuevas Barron said the function is being held in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this is also a chance for thoughts towards a common goal of more vigorous recovery and reconstruction for a better future.

At the opening session, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the emergency of the pandemic, pointed out concerns and, at the same time, proposed actions and solutions for the situation.

In her address at the seminar on “Stepping up parliamentary action: The climate change urgency”, NA Chairwoman Ngan agreed that climate change has become ever more urgent, particularly as the world is being severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The National Assembly of Vietnam has been working closely with the Government in responding to climate change via improving the legal framework on environmental protection and prioritising resources for implementation of the programmes on climate change response and sustainable development,” she said.

“Vietnam has always strictly adhered to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement,” the leader stressed, expressing her hope for enhancing cooperation with other countries, thereby contributing to collective endeavours in responding to climate change.  

To advance parliamentary actions towards the urgency of climate change, she made several proposals, such as parliaments should continue taking vigorous actions via the legislative role and function in ratifying international instruments on climate change response, strengthen collaboration with the IPU, and consider implementing the recommendations in the IPU’s Parliamentary Action Plan on Climate change in accordance with each country’s development level and needs.

Parliaments should promote policies on economic restructuring towards sustainable development, green economic growth and circular economy in order to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change. Besides, parliaments should maintain appropriate resource allocation, enhance oversight and take further measures in response to climate change.

Moreover, she said international organisations and developed countries should increase support for developing ones in responding to climate change, particularly amid the complex evolution of COVID-19./.VNA