In recent years, with the globalisation trend, Vietnam has made great efforts to realise its commitments to sustainable development to generate a good living environment for human beings. But, the use natural energy sources in Vietnam is now at an alarming level.
In the next 20 years, when energy consumption is forecast to rise in relation to high economic growth, the robust growth in energy production will force Vietnam to face reserves limit. Therefore, it is likely that Vietnam will have to import energies after 2015 to offset domestic supply shortfall.
Vietnam is in the process of industrialisation and modernisation. Thus, national energy balancing and sustainable energy development are urgent requirements. Recently, the Prime Minister approved the Vietnam Sustainable Development Strategy for the 2011 - 2020 period. Its primary objectives are to ensure macroeconomic stability; maintain food security, energy security and financial security; shift growth model to a model of intensive and extensive harmony; gradually carry out green growth; develop low-carbon economy; and use resources efficiently and economically. To supply enough energy for national socioeconomic development, the Government is directing the development of energy industry. For the time being, the development of renewable energy in Vietnam is modest in comparison with other energy sources. The legal framework for this field is also limited but, in the future, this is a potential field.
Mr To Quoc Tru, Director of Vietnam Energy Consultancy Centre (VECC), said: Vietnam’s sustainable energy development, using renewable energies, is far behind other countries in the world because of many barriers. The Government needs to issue more policies, mechanisms and supports for energy development in Vietnam. On June 29, 2011, the Prime Minister circulated Decision No. 37/2011/QD-TTg on the mechanism supporting the development of wind power projects in Vietnam. This is the legal foundation for wind power development in the future. Some wind power farms have invested and operated in Binh Thuan and Quang Tri provinces but economic efficiency is not high because of price matters.
He said, to catch up with other countries in the current globalisation process, Vietnam must have sustainable energy development policies, using indicators of sustainable energy development. These indicators provide information and support for decision-making process; transmit economic, technical, social and environmental knowledge to decision-making process; and support measurement and direction of sustainable development objectives. They are also a tool for exchanging ideas, thoughts and values for comparing the level of sustainable development between Vietnam and other countries. Currently, Vietnam lacks strong enough scientific bases for measuring the degree of energy development and orientating energy development towards sustainability due to the absence of a set of assessing criteria.
Do Ngoc
Vietnamese
