Measuring national-level GHG emission to set out NDCs

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment chaired the first Steering Committee meeting of the project "Supporting the implementation and monitoring of Viet Nam’s Nationally Determined Contributions" (SIM-NDC).

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as well as project experts from both Viet Nam and Japan.

According to Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Department of Climate Change, the SIM-NDC project is being implemented at a time when Viet Nam is finalizing its legal framework on environmental protection, including a range of regulations related to greenhouse gas emission management and the development and implementation of NDCs. The Law on Environmental Protection and its guiding documents are expected to be adopted and promulgated in 2026. The implementation of these regulations is directly linked to the activities and outcomes of the project.

Building on the results of the previous phase, the project has developed a pilot version of an online greenhouse gas reporting system at the facility level; finalized methodologies and automated calculation functions for greenhouse gas emissions from sources in the waste management sector, selected sub-sectors of energy use (including power generation; food, beverage and tobacco; textiles; paper and pulp), and the cement production sector.

Viet Nam has also piloted facility-level greenhouse gas inventory reporting for the cement and waste sectors. At the same time, capacity building for stakeholders has been strengthened through the Business Leaders Forum and training workshops on the latest regulations and guidelines on greenhouse gas emission management.

Mr. Kobayashi Kenichi affirmed that the Government of Viet Nam has demonstrated strong determination through its ambitious emission reduction targets in the NDC and its vision of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The SIM-NDC project stands as clear evidence of Viet Nam - Japan cooperation in emissions reduction, translating these national commitments into concrete actions and measurable results.

The project will support the implementation and monitoring of NDC measures by strengthening the greenhouse gas reporting system, as well as measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and NDC tracking. It will also support emission reduction planning at both policy and facility levels. In doing so, the project directly contributes to realizing Viet Nam’s NDC targets.

According to representatives of the project’s expert team, a core task in the coming period is to upgrade the Online Reporting System to cover all 2,166 major emitting facilities listed under Decision No. 13/2024/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister. The upgraded system will integrate smart features such as automated data verification to detect anomalies, deadline alert mechanisms for report submission, and a digital dashboard to help authorities monitor progress in a more intuitive manner.

In addition to upgrading technologies, the project will pilot MRV systems for heavy industries such as power, steel and cement, as well as for non-energy sectors with high emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). The private sector is identified as a key driver, with plans to organize 15–20 training courses and Business Forums in coordination with VCCI. These activities will help enterprises access international transparency frameworks such as TCFD and IFRS, while promoting Net Zero commitments.

The project roadmap runs through 2030 and includes study visits to Japan to learn about emissions trading mechanisms (GX-ETS), green finance technologies, and innovative solutions such as CCUS and hydrogen. The implementation team brings together experts from the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan (OECC), the Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI), and Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

At the end of the meeting, the Steering Committee agreed on key tasks for the 2026 fiscal year. Specific targets include completing the national greenhouse gas emission management system to support decentralized management for local authorities by Q2/2026; selecting pilot provinces to receive technical support for NDC implementation; and identifying a list of pilot facilities to support the development of plans and the monitoring of greenhouse gas emission reductions.