Vietnam’s Prime Minister: A green world needs green nations

Vietnam showcases international responsibility

Vietnam hosts the 4th P4G Summit with the aim of contributing to the common effort to promote green growth and global sustainable development; accelerating the implementation of international commitments on climate change response, emission reduction and growth model transformation; attracting and leveraging international resources for green transformation, digital transformation, science, technology and innovation, realizing national development goals in the era of the Vietnamese people's rise; and helping to enhance Vietnam's position and role in multilateral mechanisms.

Speaking and declaring the opening of the conference, warmly welcoming the leaders and delegates, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that since its first event in Copenhagen in 2018, the P4G Summit has demonstrated the far-reaching influence of a world-leading forum on promoting public-private cooperation, connecting governments, businesses and social organizations to jointly come up with breakthrough solutions on green growth, contributing to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

PM Chinh said that in the context of the world continuing to face unprecedented challenges in natural disasters, climate change, epidemics, environmental pollution, resource depletion, population aging, green transformation and sustainable development are inevitable trends, top priorities and strategic choices of countries and peoples around the world.

The theme of this Summit, “Sustainable and people-centered green transformation,” represents the aspiration of all of us towards a bright, green, clean, and beautiful world. The viewpoint emphasizes the human factor as the center, the subject, the goal, the driving force, and the resource for the greening process and sustainable development on the beautiful green planet.

According to the Vietnamese PM, facing difficulties and challenges is also an opportunity for us to develop together and overcome adversity for the sustainable development of nations and peoples and for the happiness of all people in the world. Humanity's green transformation journey in the past has not been easy; there have been successes and failures, but it has left important lessons and valuable luggage to guide us into a new stage of development: greener, more inclusive, and more sustainable.

In particular, ensuring a comprehensive, global, inclusive approach, “leaving no one behind,” especially disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in the green transition process.

“A green economy needs green businesses. A green society needs green citizens. A green world needs green nations. Participating in, contributing to, and enjoying the fruits of the green transformation process is both the responsibility and the right of all nations and peoples in the spirit of “working together, winning together, enjoying together, and developing together,” PM Chinh emphasized.

Along with that, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation play key roles; the market plays a leading role; and social awareness plays a fundamental role in promoting green transformation, promoting the principles of equality, fairness, and responsibility in green transformation.

PM Chinh said that this process requires steadfastness in goals but proactiveness and flexibility in methods and roadmaps, taking into account different conditions and capacities of countries; a country's success in green transformation does not belong only to that country but to the whole world and is the common property of all humanity.

For Vietnam, PM Chinh said that, along with digital transformation, Vietnam identifies green transformation as an objective necessity, a key factor and a breakthrough driving force to promote rapid growth and sustainable development, realizing the strategic goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high middle income by 2030 and a developed country with high income by 2045 in the coming time, while contributing to gradually realizing Vietnam's commitments at COP26 to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Three proposal for sustainable development

According to the Vietnamese PM, from practical experience with initial positive results, especially in renewable energy, green agricultural development, participation in multilateral mechanisms and initiatives on green transformation, as the host country of the 4th P4G Summit, to promote the green transformation process, focusing on people, Vietnam has 3 proposals for you to discuss, analyze, evaluate and agree on approaches, solutions and cooperation frameworks in the coming time.

The first, promote the improvement of green thinking, focusing on developing science and technology, innovation, digital transformation associated with green growth; identify green resources originating from green thinking, green growth drivers originating from green transformation, and green power originating from green awareness of people and businesses in countries and regions around the world.

Secondly, build a responsible green community. In which, the Government plays a role in guiding, encouraging, and ensuring stable institutions, favorable for green growth; the private sector is the core in investing in technology, popularizing green standards; the scientific community is a pioneer in developing green technology and training green human resources; people constantly raise green awareness and are truly the beneficiaries of the results of green transformation.

Thirdly, promote international cooperation and strongly develop multi-stakeholder green cooperation models, especially public-private partnerships (PPP), South-South, North-South cooperation, multilateral cooperation frameworks... to remove institutional barriers, increase access and accelerate the transition of green capital, green technology and green governance.

Developed countries need to take the lead in implementing commitments to provide financial support, technology, and institutional reform experience. In contrast, developing countries need to strongly promote internal strength combined with effective use of external resources.

PM Pham Minh Chinh said that Vietnam warmly welcomes P4G delegation for its correct approach to promoting green transformation, starting with specific, effective, widespread, motivating and inspiring projects; calling on P4G to continue to promote its position, potential and strengths further, truly becoming an “idea incubator”, an international “laboratory” for sustainable development and green growth, where pilot projects are replicated, and breakthrough initiatives and technologies are given wings, fly high and reach far.

Recalling the words of explorer Robert Swan, the first person in the world to walk to both the North and South Poles: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone will save it,” the Vietnamese PM said that we are holding in our hands the responsibility and glorious mission of preserving and protecting the Earth - the beloved home of all mankind; affirming that Vietnam desires and believes that the spirit of solidarity, unanimity, courage to rise up and creative intelligence of countries and international organizations will truly become an unparalleled strength, contributing to promoting green transformation and inclusive, sustainable development globally, all for the people, by the people and for the happiness and prosperity of all people on our beloved green planet.