Vietnam's national green growth strategy: The path towards implementing the Paris Agreement, experiences of Vietnam and the EU

The workshop was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong and Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam Bruno Angelet, with the participation of representatives of ministries, branches, agencies, localities, research institutes, universities of Vietnam, foreign diplomatic corps and leading EU experts.

In his opening speech at the Workshop, Deputy Minister Nguyen The Phuong said that at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) taking place in November 2015, the Paris Climate Agreement was approved and Vietnam demonstrated its commitment in the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC). Government agencies and development partners have conducted many activities to promote the implementation of these important commitments. Currently, Vietnam has 5 ministries, nearly 30 provinces and cities building and implementing the Green Growth Action Plan, many localities and businesses have identified this as an important task and are implementing it on the following aspects: Mobilizing resources, strengthening policy institutions, strengthening capacity,technological innovation. More importantly, many specific activities have been implemented and brought encouraging results as well as valuable lessons. Next, with the active participation of ministries and branches, Vietnam's draft INDC Plan is being completed to submit to the Government for review and approval. These efforts contribute to concretizing Vietnam's actions towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam spoke at the Conference.

At the Conference, Mr. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador, Head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam said: "On October 4, 2016, the European Parliament ratified the Paris Agreement, accordingly, the EU's ratification will exceed the threshold of 55% of emissions and has activated the Agreement. As a leading organization in the fight against climate change and promoting global green growth, the EU affirms economic growth. can go hand in hand with reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the EU-Vietnam partnership pursuing common goals. The EU is always Vietnam's best friend in this struggle."

The workshop is an opportunity for Vietnamese and European experts to find ways to implement the Paris Agreement and consider the Agreement's links with the national green growth policy and initiatives being implemented in Vietnam, especially those outlined in Vietnam's National Green Growth Strategy. The workshop focused on issues such as: Discussion on the implementation of Vietnam's Green Growth Strategy, especially cross-cutting issues of adaptation and mitigation of impacts due to climate change and efforts to successfully implement the Paris Agreement at COP21; Share EU experiences in decision-making and implementation of the Green Growth Strategy in Europe, exchange views and the implementation of strategiesof Vietnam as well as strengthening the mobilization of international support in the field of green growth; Implement green growth at the strategic level, mobilize the participation of central agencies and compare strategic planning work at the EU level and the Government of Vietnam in the fields of green industry, renewable energy, green urban areas, green construction and green finance...; Presents the main contents of strategic planning in Europe and Europe's support for strategic planning and implementation in Vietnam, including the role of the private sector and the contribution of European businesses to the implementation of green growth./.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is assigned as the focal agency for green growth, responsible for presiding and coordinating with relevant ministries, branches and People's Committees of provinces and cities, coordinating with international development partners to mobilize financial resources to organize the implementation of the Green Growth Strategy and Action Plan in Vietnam, and is also the National Authority (NDA) to access the Green Climate Fund.

The EU-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue Support Program was implemented for 3 years (2013-2016) to support Vietnam's development through the implementation of activities within the framework of the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) signed in 2012.

Nguyen Huong
Ministry of Planning and Investment