Context
Viet Nam is one of the fastest growing economies in South East Asia, however this pursuit of economic growth is closely linked to rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Simultaneously, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has deemed Viet Nam, with its exceptionally long coastline, as one of the countries severely affected by climate change.
In order to address this, the Vietnamese Government is taking a constructive approach to international climate policy and is pursuing its own nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) in line with the country's development priorities. NAMAs are not only representing an active contribution to the transition towards a sustainable low-carbon economy, but also provide a number of co-benefits depending on their scope, such as improvements to public health due to reduced pollution from traffic or increased rates of rural electrification due to the spread of renewable energy.These measures should meet international standards for measurement, reporting and verification (MRV). Over the next five years, the government is aiming to develop and implement several NAMAs in specific sectors with the support of different development partners.
Additionally, the government plans to introduce a national MRV system. This system will allow the identification of the mitigation measures' impacts and achievements. Over time a MRV system will also permit a comprehensive, meaningful and systematic decision making process for the prioritization of GHG mitigation strategies and actions and the determination of the underlying baseline scenarios.
The project "Creation of an Overarching Framework for NAMAs and MRV in Viet Nam" was set up in order to support the Government of Viet Nam in achieving its ambitious climate change aims.
Objectives
The project's objective is to improve MONRE´s capacity to coordinate and advise on the development, finance and implementation of NAMAs. The project will support Viet Nam in developing and implementing NAMAs that are eligible for international funding and also entail the creation of a robust MRV system to measure their impacts. Additionally, the project aims to strengthen Viet Nam’s position in international climate negotiations.
Approach
The project pursues activities to support the Vietnamese Government in the following four main areas:
1. Establishment of institutional arrangements for NAMAs within MONRE to coordinate and advise on the development and implementation of NAMAs;
2. Identification and development of two bankable NAMAs, as well as general guidelines for NAMA development and implementation;
3. Development of a national system for MRV;
4. Strengthening of the Vietnamese delegations' negotiating capacities at international climate change negotiations.
In addition, the project assists Viet Nam (with additional funding from a global project) in its endeavour to develop an ambitious Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) for the new international climate agreement. Specifically the project provides technical support to the formulation of the mitigation component of the INDC. As part of this effort, national and international experts are analysing data on the four sectors of waste, energy, agriculture and Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). The team will identify mitigation options in line with socio-economic factors for the four sectors until 2030, which will function as a basis for the determination of the INDC.
So far, the project has conducted a number of studies, organised workshops, trainings and study tours and provided additional capacity development measures. Beneficiaries include the Viet Nam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change (IMHEN), the Department of Meteorology, Hydrology, Environment and Climate Change (DMHCC) and the International Cooperation Department (ICD) at MONRE. Additionally, state agencies, relevant line ministries and development partners regularly participate in the project’s activities.