Brochet spoke highly of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE)’s advisory role in the Vietnamese Government and Prime Minister’s strong commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, the launch of the resource mobilisation plan for implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
He noted that the French Government pledged to assist Vietnam to reach those targets so as to concurrently resolve the global issue of climate change adaptation and not hamper policies of developing countries, including Vietnam.
Via the French Development Agency (AFD), the French Government is providing over 500 million EUR (541.4 million USD) in aid to help Vietnam carry out climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and marine pollution prevention projects.
At the meeting, AFD Director Herve Conan said apart from existing cooperation programmes, the French Government hopes to expand partnerships with its Vietnamese counterpart, including MoNRE, in the implementation of the JETP resource mobilisation plan, the building of financial instruments of the carbon market, biodiversity conservation, and ocean protection.
Minister Khanh affirmed that the French Government and AFD are always important partners of Vietnam in terms of environmental protection and climate change response.
The Vietnamese Government has not only made commitments but also been implementing action plans in line with the committed roadmap towards the targets of sustainable development, climate change adaptation, and national security ensuring, he stated.
He emphasised that with the viewpoint of not pursuing economic growth at the expense of the environment but boosting socioeconomic development in tandem with environmental protection and climate change adaptation, the laws recently adopted by the National Assembly such as the revised Land Law and the revised Law on Water Resources demonstrate the Vietnamese Government’s strong resolve to conserve biodiversity and recover natural ecosystems.
To do so, the country needs assistance from the international community, including the Government of France, Khanh said, calling on the French Government to help Vietnam in this regard by training manpower, transferring scientific and technological advances, and giving technical and financial support.
