Launch of USD 624,000 project supporting sustainable forest development

On May 27, the People’s Committee of Son La Province, in coordination with CARE International in Viet Nam, held the launch event for the project Carbon for Good (C4G Project), theme “Technical Support Toward Capacity Building for Climate Change Mitigation Planning and Mobilizing Sustainable Finance for Forest Protection and Development, Including a High-Quality Forest Carbon Market”.

Attending the conference were Mr. Nguyen Minh Tien, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People’s Committee, along with leaders of relevant departments, agencies, and sectors. Also present were Ms. Francesca Bellone, Development Counsellor and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Canada in Viet Nam; representatives of CARE International in Viet Nam; and leaders of the Forestry and Forest Protection Department.

The project is funded by the Government of Canada and CARE International in Viet Nam, with a total of more than USD 624,000 in non-refundable aid.

Previously, the People’s Committee of Son La Province issued Decision No. 1910/QD-UBND dated July 31, 2025, approving the aid package for project implementation, which was later amended and supplemented under Decision No. 32/QD-UBND dated January 6, 2026.

The project will be implemented over a 33-month period through the end of March 2028 in Muong La, Chieng Lao, Muong Bu, Chieng Hoa, and Ngoc Chien communes. Its objective is to strengthen the capacity of Son La’s partners to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation priorities through forest protection and development, while also promoting effective financial mechanisms, including carbon credits, and encouraging greater participation by businesses and society.

According to the plan, the project aims to achieve three main outcomes. First, it will provide scientific reports, analyses, and evidence-based data to support stakeholders in Son La Province regarding forest protection and development solutions, including forest carbon credits and mechanisms to encourage private sector investment in forest conservation and development, thereby helping the province fulfill its emission reduction and sustainable development commitments.

Second, the project will support capacity building for relevant stakeholders in Son La to mobilize stable and sustainable financial resources for forest protection, forest development, and poverty reduction.

Third, it will establish a database identifying potential areas for carbon development, serving as a foundation for future classification and planning of various carbon project models in the province. The project will also facilitate learning from experiences in implementing carbon projects in other regions, while local communities and commune-level authorities will gain a better understanding of the benefits of participating in the carbon market.

At the event, delegates discussed Viet Nam’s legal framework for the carbon market in the forestry sector, orientations and challenges related to participation in the forest carbon market, and the results of assessments that identified potential areas for forest carbon development in Son La Province. Participants also shared international experiences in designing and implementing carbon projects.

Representatives from the Embassy of Canada in Viet Nam and CARE International in Viet Nam highly appreciated Son La’s potential for developing forest carbon projects and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the province through capacity building, resource mobilization, and the sharing of international experience to help develop a transparent and effective carbon market.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Nguyen Minh Tien, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People’s Committee, emphasized that Son La Province currently has nearly 697,000 hectares of forestry land, with forest coverage reaching 47.43%, placing it among the provinces with the largest forest areas in Viet Nam’s northern midland and mountainous region. Each year, revenue from forest environmental service payments amounts to approximately USD 8.4-9.5 million, making an important contribution to forest protection and improving local livelihoods.

The Vice Chairman affirmed that implementing the C4G project is of great importance, providing Son La with additional scientific and technical foundations and practical experience to achieve greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, develop the forest carbon market, and mobilize sustainable financial resources for forest protection and development.

Son La is committed to closely cooperating with partners and donors to ensure the project is implemented effectively and in accordance with its objectives, while gradually developing a forest carbon market and contributing to Viet Nam’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.