Full remarks by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at session on sustainable development and energy transition within G20 Leaders' Summit 2024

Your Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil,

Distinguished leaders and delegates,

1. In 1992, in this very city of Rio de Janeiro, the Summit of the Earth took place, laying a foundation for the global agenda for sustainable development later on. The 2030 Agenda stands testimony to the shared effort and will of all of us. Yet assuming current progress, we expect that only 17 percent of the SDGs would be fulfilled by 2030, and many of them may even be reversed as we speak.

With this great significance, our discussion today at the same Rio de Janeiro shall be an opportunity for us to discuss, seek solutions, and make our pledge to bring the global sustainable development process back on track and speed it towards the target. To this end, I would like to make three proposals:

- First, we must focus on three breakthrough transformations for sustainable development: digital, green and energy transitions. Digitization is our means, greening is our path, and energy transition a cornerstone of sustainable development and carbon emission reduction.

For these three transformations to truly be a part of everyday life, science, technology and innovation should create breakthroughs and be the key to the door of sustainable development for all mankind. The G20 should lead the charge in connecting those who have with those who need, sharing experiences, and providing capacity-building support for developing countries. In doing so, we will be able to create an ecosystem of open innovation and science, and accommodate voluntary tech transfer grounded in secure IP rights.

- Second, we must stay true to the principle of placing human beings at the heart, as the actor, purpose, driver and most important resource of sustainable development and energy transition

Viet Nam salutes Brazil's efforts for narrowing inequality, ensuring social equity and sustainable development during its G20 Presidency. These are instrumental prerequisites to sustainable development and energy transition in the interest of our people and leave no one behind in the transition process, especially vulnerable groups.

- Third, we should give due importance to innovative financial and effective investment collaboration models to unshackle and make full use of all available resources for sustainable development and energy transition.

If we desire sustainable development, there should be sustainable financing. It is my hope that through this Summit, the G20 and its partners will come up with concrete proposals and initiatives, especially concerning reforming the global taxation system for greater effect, inclusion and equality. We should be able to better muster private financing for sustainable growth, and transform multilateral banks to enhance their effect and scale, and make them greener and more sustainable.

Distinguished delegates!

3. To quote the famous saying, "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children", our actions today shall decide the fate of future generations.

With a desire to work together to advance the sustainable development goals and green energy transition, in spite of its modest resources, it is Viet Nam's honor to host the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) Summit next year.

Let me reiterate Viet Nam's overarching, consistent track for sustainable development, and its pledge: "Not to sacrifice social progress and justice, or environment protection, in the pursuit of pure economic growth.". Sustainable development is always a consistent position and through-line of our country. Viet Nam shall make every effort, along with other countries, partners and the broader international community, and through concrete and substantive action, contribute to the development of a green, clean, beautiful, sustainable world, for our future generations.

Thank you very much!