VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam considers climate change response one of its key tasks in 2016 as Vietnam is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters and climate change.

Vietnam will allocate more resources, enhance international cooperation, and strictly implement targets of the 21st UN Climate Change Conference.

Vietnam will increase international cooperation to draw financial and technical assistance to its climate change response activities.

Favorable conditions since 2015

Last year the Vietnamese government spent US$150 million on 16 projects in responding to climate change. Although the amount was below localities’ investment need, it reflected the government’s effort to deal with climate change such as growing mangrove forests and upgrading river and sea dykes.

Vietnam has integrated natural disaster risk mitigation and adaptation measures into urban planning and land use. Flood-proof residential areas should be environmental friendly. Plans to reduce the use of fossil fuel and greenhouse gas emissions have been designed.

Vietnam has policies and programs to minimize the impacts of climate change while pushing ahead with the development of a green economy. Policies and laws on climate change response, particularly the Law on Hydrometeology, have been brought into reality.

Vietnam’s special report on managing the risks of extreme events and disasters to advance climate change adaptation (SREX Vietnam) in 2015 was a comprehensive document on Vietnam’s measures to deal with climate change and head toward a resilient future.

Systematically carrying out climate change response measures

In 2016 Vietnam will continue to carry out corporate measures to respond to climate change, enhance international cooperation, and mobilize all resources to realize targets of the Paris agreement. Pham Van Tan, Deputy Director of the Hydrometeology and Climate Change Department, says: “The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and other ministries will finalize legal procedures to ratify the Paris agreement before April.

The Ministry will build a national plan on climate change response matching the UN Framework Convention on climate change which includes specific measures and resources to obtain the target of reducing greenhouse gas emission 8%. From now until 2030 Vietnam will shift to low-carbon emission technology.”

Vietnam has worked with other countries to realize its commitments to the Paris agreement and its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions report (INDC) sent to the UN last September. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said: “It’s necessary to enhance state management, fine tune the legal system, policies, and mechanisms, and systematically implement measures to cope with climate change and natural disasters.

Other tasks include improving weather forecasts and climate change monitoring. Ministries, sectors, and individuals have to raise their sense of responsibility and invest more in key projects to respond to climate change.”

Measures to respond to climate change will also contribute to Vietnam’s socio-economic development targets in 2016.

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