Striving for Green Growth Objectives

According to the signed context, the memorandum is a tripartite agreement between the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea with the aim to contributing to the implementation of the green growth strategy in Vietnam, in the period 2012 to 2020 and vision to 2050. Through the MOU, the parties cooperate in specific fields such as: Enhancing exchange of information knowledge, technology and know-how in the fields of green growth and low emissions; enhancing institutional capacity and resources to implement the Green Growth Strategy in Vietnam; and other areas of cooperation. With this assistance, Vietnam will have more opportunities to expand cooperation with other countries in the region and the world, to create momentum for the successful implementation of green growth strategy in Vietnam during the next period.

 

According to South Korean Ambassador Ha Chan-ho, green growth is one of the very smart ways to develop sustainable economy. He also expressed the hope that the cooperation between the three countries will be effectively implemented. Korea, Vietnam, and Denmark are three of the founders of the Global Green Growth Institute. He added that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schimidt also advocate green growth issues, it would be a good premise for cooperation between Vietnam, Denmark and Korea.

 

According to Danish Minister Martin Lidegaard of Climate, Energy and Building, Denmark is ready to help Vietnam in science and technology, green growth, and private fields. However, he also wants Vietnam soon to build a complete legal framework and build mechanisms and policies to encourage foreign businesses to invest in Vietnam. Accordingly, the Danish government has helped the Vietnamese government to develop renewable energy, especially wind energy. In the total Denmark’s ODA of US$135 million committed to supporting Vietnam in fiscal year 2012, the amount of capital for green growth sector accounts for 60 percent.

 

Minister of Planning and Investment of Vietnam, Bui Quang Vinh said the fields selected by Denmark such as rural water, climate change, poverty reduction, sustainable growth are the important areas in Vietnam. Most of the projects are being implemented seriously and effectively. According to Minister Vinh, Vietnamese Government understands the serious impact of the climate change to the country's sustainable development. Since then, Vietnam soon joined and ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, and will soon approve the National Strategy on Climate Change and the national objectives to cope with climate change, and the National Strategy on the prevention and mitigation of natural disasters ... In particular, the first priority is given to restructuring the economy and completing economic regimes in the direction of “greenerizing” the existent sectors, encouraging the economic development of regions, and using the effective the energy and resources with high value added.

 

Minister Bui Quang Vinh also confirmed that although Vietnam is facing many difficulties in the macro-economic development, it firmly committed to use the application of advanced technology, biotechnology and renewable energy and restrict pollute plants. However in the context of limited human resource and funding, Vietnam is eager to get more assisting commitment from developed countries, especially those with experience in the field of green growth such as Denmark, South Korea ...