VietNamNet Bridge – Energy usage contributes up to 35 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Viet Nam, Dr Nguyen Thi Hien Thuan from the Viet Nam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment told an ASEAN+3 workshop in Ha Noi on Tuesday, Nov 27.

The workshop on Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA), refers to a set of policies and actions that countries of ASEAN+3 have undertaken as part of a commitment to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

NAMA was first used in the Bali Action Plan as part of the Bali Road Map agreed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali in December 2007.

Nguyen Van Long, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Science Technology and Energy Efficiency Department said that in October, the Government had approved a target programme in the second phase of 2012-15 with a fund from the State Budget of VND350 billion (US$16.7 million).

It aims to save 5-8 per cent of total energy consumption nationwide.

Long said the first phase from 2006-10 achieved the target of saving 3.4 per cent of total energy consumption nationwide.

Under the programme, companies that manufacture cement, steel, garments and textiles have been ordered to use energy-efficient equipment.

All public high-rise buildings being built in 2012 have to obey energy-efficiency regulations.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been told to encourage households to use solar energy, biogas, and compact lights.

According to Dr Thuan from the meteorology institute, Viet Nam's greenhouse-gas emissions are mainly from energy industries, agriculture, land use, land-use changes and forestry.

CO2 emissions are forecast to reach 300 million tonnes by 2020 and 516 millions of tonnes by 2030. This compares with 151 million tonnes in 2000.

Thuan said 15 energy solutions had been chosen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including wind power.

Viet Nam has two pilot mitigation projects under ASEAN+3. The first project, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in cement production, is worth $1.97 million. It has been sponsored by the Nordic Development Fund.

The Ministry of Construction has been assigned to implement the project, she said.

The second project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in waste management. Worth $67,000, it is backed by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.

VietNamNet/VNS