UNDP reaffirms partnership with Vietnam on NDC 3.0, EPR, and green carbon program

On the afternoon of September 4 in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung received Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Regional Director, and Regional Director for Asia-Pacific.

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung welcomed Ms. Wignaraja, highlighting UNDP as a trusted partner that has worked with Vietnam for many years on climate change response, environmental protection, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and the promotion of the circular economy. He acknowledged UNDP’s technical support, mobilization of international resources, and collaborative initiatives that have spread widely across communities and businesses.

On the country’s forthcoming Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0, the Deputy Minister thanked UNDP and other partners for their support with earlier versions. He confirmed that the Ministry is working closely with relevant agencies to ensure the new plan is delivered on schedule, transparent, feasible, and aligned with national conditions. He expressed hope that UNDP would continue to provide technical support and share research outcomes so that Vietnam’s NDC 3.0 not only meets international requirements but also delivers practical benefits in reducing emissions and adapting to climate change.

Turning to air pollution control, Hoang Trung commended the UNDP - World Health Organization (WHO) partnership linked to Directive 20/CT-TTg on urgent measures to curb environmental pollution. He noted its emphasis on synchronized emission reduction, the application of AI and satellite technology, early warning systems, and health impact research. He urged UNDP to support mechanisms for inter-sectoral and inter-regional coordination as well as community communication programs to encourage active participation from citizens and businesses.

On waste management and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the Deputy Minister said the Ministry is drafting a dedicated decree to provide a transparent legal framework for EPR implementation, with an eye toward amending the Environmental Protection Law in 2026. He called for UNDP’s continued sharing of international experience, piloting of practical models, and support for capacity-building to ensure the mechanism’s long-term sustainability, encouraging enterprises to recycle proactively and modernize collection and recycling chains.

 Regarding the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP), Hoang Trung affirmed that effective cooperation with UNDP has made Vietnam a regional pioneer in multilateral approaches to tackling plastic pollution. Building on this, the Ministry is preparing to launch the National Green Carbon Action Partnership (NBCAP) aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. He asked UNDP to maintain its role as a strategic partner in mobilizing global resources, sharing international expertise, promoting public–private partnerships, and linking Vietnam with carbon markets. 

He also proposed several priority areas for future cooperation: mobilizing international finance from GEF, GCF, and blended finance mechanisms to implement NDC 3.0 and climate commitments; rolling out the national climate finance strategy to accelerate energy transition, green agriculture, and the circular economy; and strengthening capacity-building, technology transfer, and partner networks to replicate successful models and amplify positive impacts across communities and the economy.

“I am confident that with UNDP’s partnership, our cooperation will become increasingly solid, practical, and effective,” Hoang Trung said.

 Responding, Ms. Wignaraja praised Vietnam’s rapid transformation, describing it as “very much like a home city” to her. She applauded the Ministry’s leadership and coordination, noting that Vietnam’s NDC 3.0 sets more ambitious targets than many other countries and will be a point of pride at climate summits. UNDP, she added, hopes to help turn the NDC into an investment tool, focusing on the crucial task of mobilizing finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and international partners to develop breakthrough projects and secure the success of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

On EPR and the Vietnam Environmental Protection Fund (VEPF), Ms. Wignaraja affirmed UNDP’s commitment to long-term cooperation. She suggested supporting the Ministry in coordinating and effectively using accumulated funds to invest in high-impact projects tied to Vietnam’s NDC commitments. She noted that the Ministry of Finance also supports this proposal. 

Looking ahead, Ms. Wignaraja revealed that UNDP will design a new country program for Vietnam next year. As Vietnam has become an upper middle-income nation, traditional official development assistance will decline sharply. Instead, cooperation will increasingly rely on government resources and UNDP’s service packages, allowing Vietnam to selectively invest in high-value areas. This new model, she explained, applies to all upper middle-income countries and reflects Vietnam’s next stage of development.