(VNF) - On October 11th, the Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam co-organized a high-level seminar, titled: ‘Vietnam Green Growth Strategy: Pathways towards Implementing the Paris Agreement - Vietnam & EU Experience”.

This event is part of the framework of the EU-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue Facility.

The seminar focuses on the following key issues: to discuss the Vietnam National Green Growth Strategy, in particular the cross-cutting issues with the fight against climate change and efforts in the post-Paris Agreement at COP21; and to share the EU's expertise in decision-making and implementation of Green Growth Strategies in Europe, and to exchange views on strategies and their implementation in Vietnam and how to increase international support in the area of green growth.

Besides, it addressed green growth at the strategic level, involving the central authorities and comparing strategic planning at the level of the EU and the Government of Vietnam covering areas such as green industry and renewable energies, green cities and green building, and green finance; and to outline the strategic planning in Europe and European support to strategic planning and implementation in Vietnam, including outline of the private sector’s role and European enterprises’ contribution to green growth.

Mr Nguyen The Phuong, Vice Minister of the Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment said Vietnam has joined the Paris climate agreement that has been approved at the COP21 in November 2015 with commitments through the implementation of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), the government agencies and development partners have then carried out different activities to promote the implementation of these commitments.

To date, five Ministries, almost 30 provinces, cities in Vietnam have developed and implemented their Green growth action plan, many provinces/cities and businesses have identified this as an important task which is being implemented in different aspects: Resource mobilization, institutional & policy improvement, capacity strengthening, technology.

More importantly, various specific activities have been carried out with encouraging results and valuable lessons learned. With the activeness of ministries and sectors, the draft INDC implementation plan of Vietnam is being finalized for submission to the government for consideration and approval. These efforts contribute to concretizing Vietnam's actions towards the sustainable development goals by 2030.

According to Mr Bruno Angelet, Ambassador- Head of Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, the European Parliament ratified the Paris Agreement on October 4th, 2016. Thus, the EU tilted the balance by crossing the 55% emission threshold, and triggered the process leading to the entry into force of the agreement.

As being world leader in fighting climate change and in promoting green growth, the EU demonstrates that economic growth can go together with reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and our partnership with Vietnam pursues the same objectives./.

( VNF )