Party and State policies on responding to climate change

Recognizing the impacts, challenges and opportunities of climate change on the country's sustainable development goals, in recent years, the Party and State have had many policies and strategies demonstrating efforts and determination in responding to climate change. Specifically: Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW of the 7th Conference of the 11th Party Central Committee considers proactive response to climate change as one of the issues of special importance, having great influence and deciding the sustainable development of the country. Conclusion No. 56-KL/TW dated August 23, 2019 of the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 7 of the 11th Party Central Committee on proactive response to climate change, strengthening resource management and environmental protection has set out many important tasks, accordingly, response to climate change must be placed at the center of development decisions. At the same time, responding to climate change is also an important content in the documents submitted to the 13th National Party Congress. In 2020, the National Assembly issued the Law on Environmental Protection, in which the state management of climate change has been more comprehensively institutionalized. The Law stipulates the content and responsibilities of ministries, branches and localities on climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and ozone layer protection. It clearly stipulates GHG inventory, sectors and facilities that emit GHG that must conduct GHG inventory; regulations on integrating climate change response content into strategies and planning; national database on climate change; national climate change response report; implementation of international commitments on climate change and ozone layer protection. In particular, the Law for the first time stipulates the organization and development of the carbon market as a tool to promote the goal of greenhouse gas emission reduction, contributing to the implementation of Vietnam's commitments to international treaties. In addition to the Law on Environmental Protection, 10 Laws have been developed, amended and promulgated with content related to climate change.

The Government issued Decree No. 06/2022/ND-CP regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction and ozone layer protection; the Government's Action Program to implement Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW; Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP in 2017 on climate change adaptation in the Mekong Delta; Resolution No. 93/NQ-CP in 2016 approving the Paris Agreement to implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),...

The Prime Minister issued the National Strategy on Climate Change (Decision No. 2139/QD-TTg); National Action Plan on Climate Change for the 2012-2020 period (Decision No. 1474/QD-TTg); Plan to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (Decision No. 2053/QD-TTg); Target Program on Climate Change Response and Green Growth for the 2016-2020 period (Decision No. 1670/QD-TTg); Overall Action Program to implement Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP (Decision No. 417/QD-TTg); approved Vietnam's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) (2020); National Plan for Climate Change Adaptation for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 (Decision No. 1055/QD-TTg).

Recently, the Prime Minister issued the National Climate Change Adaptation Monitoring and Evaluation System (Decision No. 148/QD-TTg); List of sectors and facilities emitting GHGs that must conduct GHG inventories (Decision No. 01/2022/QD-TTg). In addition, the Prime Minister also approved documents related to climate change response, such as: Green growth strategy; regional and sectoral planning; programs, projects, etc. At the COP26 Conference held in November 2021 in the UK, Vietnam made a strong commitment to bring net emissions to "0" by 2050 and participated in many commitments and initiatives such as: Commitment to reduce global methane emissions, Global commitment to transition from coal to clean energy, Glasgow Declaration of Leaders on forests and land use, and participation in the Global Alliance for Adaptation Action Initiative. The commitment and participation in the initiatives demonstrate Vietnam's determination and clear roadmap in promoting economic transformation, opening up opportunities to take advantage of the shift of global financial resources for low-emission development into Vietnam, and being ready to respond to climate change to contribute to solving the global climate crisis. After the COP26 Conference, the Prime Minister established a National Steering Committee to implement Vietnam's commitments at the COP26 Conference.

Ministries and sectors also promulgate policies, programs, plans and projects related to climate change response. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment issued Circular No. 01/2022/TT-BTNMT detailing the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection on climate change response. Provinces and centrally run cities develop and promulgate local climate change response action plans, some localities have issued updated climate change response action plans.