VN’s 100 % renewable energy target attainable: UNDP official

Louise Chamberlain, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) country director in Việt Nam

The Government of Việt Nam has shown strong commitment through developing a national SDGs action plan and the recent approval of an action plan to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. As a member of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, Việt Nam has joined a number of countries in an ambitious plan to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy. This is an attainable goal, as the country has great renewable energy potential and adopted a renewable energy development strategy in late 2015. The UNDP has been providing technical support to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for preparation of a national action plan to implement this important strategy. We look forward to accelerated implementation, particularly through the Government creating a roadmap for energy reform that puts higher prices on coal-powered energy and creates profit incentives for investment in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Việt Nam can only make a measurable contribution to the global climate change agenda if it accelerates reform of the energy sector. Energy is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, projected at 471 million tonnes of CO2e and accounting for 91 per cent of total emissions in 2030.

However the Government needs to accelerate energy sector reform, including price reform, aggressively promote investments in renewable energy and enhance transparency around the plans in this regard. Việt Nam’s Renewable Energy Development Strategy provides a good framework and initial targets for actions, and we strongly encourage further work and a higher level of ambition.