UN: Vietnam acts as a driving force for green energy transition in ASEAN

On June 5, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh hosted a meeting with Mr. Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition.

The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on the current climate priorities of the UN Secretary-General, review the progress in implementing Vietnam's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), and promote a stronger push toward a just transition.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh highly appreciated the effective support from UN organizations, including FAO, UNDP, IFAD, and UNIDO, to Vietnam’s agricultural and environmental sectors. This support has been delivered through technical assistance projects, emergency aid, and initiatives aimed at enhancing resilience to natural disasters and responding to climate change, thereby contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the Deputy Minister, the Government of Vietnam is actively implementing the Just Energy Transition Program (JETP), demonstrating the country's strong commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. In addition, the Government has issued the Revised Power Development Plan VIII, is studying new energy pricing mechanisms, and is working to strengthen the national power transmission grid to ensure energy security.

Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is leading the development of Vietnam’s third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), which will soon be submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In this process, the Ministry has received technical and financial support from UNDP and other partners for the NDC update.

The leadership of the Ministry hopes the United Nations will continue to share lessons, experiences, and solutions from developed countries to help ensure greenhouse gas emission reduction targets are met.

“We hope that you will lend your voice on behalf of developing countries to ensure that renewable energy technologies do not become subject to tariff barriers. Instead, policy support, especially in regard to renewable energy products that are currently subject to high taxes, would be a more effective approach, helping to improve accessibility and accelerate the green energy transition,” the Deputy Minister suggested.

Following the Deputy Minister’s remarks, Mr. Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition, welcomed Vietnam's outstanding efforts in continuing to implement the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). He noted that Vietnam is gradually finding a balance between its socio-economic development needs and the imperative to adapt to climate change.

He also affirmed Vietnam’s leading role within ASEAN in developing renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources. According to him, since 2010, the cost of renewable energy has dropped by up to 40%, clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of political will and investment in this sector.

“Energy transition has never been easy for any country. Western nations themselves have spent decades restructuring their energy systems. What is encouraging is that we have already seen significant progress after ten years of implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change,” Mr. Hart observed.

He emphasized that maintaining open dialogue with NDC groups in different countries is a vital signal of goodwill and cooperation toward realizing green adaptation frameworks and accelerating the use of renewable energy.

Mr. Hart also shared that the UN Secretary-General will engage in discussions with heads of state regarding the progress of NDC preparations and will review suitable support proposals from UN agencies during the High-Level Political Forum expected to take place in September at the United Nations General Assembly.

Also at the meeting, Mrs. Pauline Tamesis, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, expressed her support for Vietnam’s process of updating its NDC report and affirmed the UN’s readiness to engage in consultations and provide related support. She emphasized that the United Nations is committed to accompanying Vietnam in this journey, and that the NDC should be regarded as a shared responsibility of all stakeholders.