Viet Nam calls for strong cooperation to handle climate change impacts

Ambassador Dung, who is Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international organizations in Geneva, made the statement while representing the core group of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution on human rights and climate change.

The group includes Viet Nam, Bangladesh and the Philippines, to address a debate on ensuring sustainable livelihoods in the face of climate change impacts. The event was part of the HRC’s 56th session in Geneva.

He underlined the importance of safeguarding sustainable livelihoods, particularly for the groups vulnerable to climate change as a top priority of developing countries.

The Ambassador took the occasion to urge the Loss and Damage Fund, established at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), to be run efficiently to provide necessary finance for climate change-hit communities, especially in developing countries.

He also proposed several suggestions, including implementing policies to empower local communities through education, resources and adaptation strategies; promoting sustainable practices in agriculture and fishery to guarantee food security and sustainable livelihoods; and integrating the improvement of climate adaptability into social protection programs to strengthen vulnerable groups’ resilience.

The Vietnamese government has committed to addressing climate change issues. In Viet Nam, environmental protection is not only for current economic development but also helps sustainable future economic development and addresses climate change.

In 2021, for the first time, Viet Nam made a commitment to achieving "net zero" emissions by 2025.

The Government has established a National Steering Committee to implement Viet Nam's commitments, chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. All ministries and sectors have also developed related implementation programs and plans.

In 2023, Viet Nam and international partners adopted a Political Declaration to establish the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to implement green transition and reach the net zero emission goal by 2050./.