USAID, Vietnam's Ministry Work to Tackle Climate Change and Environmental Pollution

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) on Jan. 28 formalized their partnership in addressing the complex challenges of climate change and environmental pollution through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

At the signing ceremony. Photo: USAID

USAID’s Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock and MoNRE Vice Minister Le Cong Thanh signed the MoU at a ceremony held at its headquarters.

“The recent 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) meetings in Glasgow aimed to accelerate humanity’s cooperation on climate change and underscored the importance of collective action to preserve and protect our environment and planet,” USAID Mission Director Yastishock said at the event.

Yastishock stressed that USAID applauds the commitments made by Vietnam’s Prime Minister at COP26, and we are ready to support Vietnam to reach these important goals. This MoU will help facilitate the effective collaboration between USAID and MoNRE on climate change and environmental pollution and take us one step closer to bringing greater environmental awareness and change to Vietnam’s citizens and economy.

With its long and densely populated coast, Vietnam has been ranked by the World Bank as among the top five countries likely to be most affected by climate change.

A high proportion of the country’s population and economic assets are located in coastal lowlands and deltas, which are subject to frequent typhoons, floods, droughts, and landslides. In addition, Vietnam faces a series of environmental pollution challenges largely spurred by agriculture, transportation, and industry.

According to reports delivered at a conference reviewing last year’s performance of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Vietnam National Committee for Search and Rescue, Vietnam saw 4,061 natural disasters and accidents last year, causing 530 people dead and missing, and over VND 5.2 trillion (USD 229.58 million) in economic losses.

Moreover, Vietnam currently ranks fourth in the world for the amount of plastic waste, with approximately 730,000 tonnes of plastic waste going into the sea every year.

The country produces twice the amount of plastic waste as low-income countries.

Illustrative image. Photo: UNDP

USAID’s collaboration with MoNRE will focus on air quality management; integrated water resource management and water security; conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity; ocean plastic, solid waste management, and recycling; and reduction of emissions responsible for climate change.

Over the past five years, USAID has been working closely with Vietnam to foster collective action by local actors—including the Government of Vietnam, the private sector, social organizations, and citizens—to raise awareness of the causes and effects of environmental pollution challenges and to increase knowledge of effective strategies for reducing the environmental pollution.

USAID believes that solving complex environmental issues is a long-term process that requires strong collaboration and joint action from Government of Vietnam entities, citizens, the private sector, and local organizations—which all have common concerns and share mutual benefits of addressing specific environmental pollution issues.

By empowering local actors to take the lead in identifying and addressing environmental challenges, USAID advances locally-led and -sustained development and contributes to Vietnam's ownership of its prosperity, quality of life, and sustainable, green economic growth.

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