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| The development of renewable energies must go in line with ensuring energy security. Photo: thitruongtaichinhtiente.vn |
On the sidelines of the ongoing 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha had a working session on November 6 with President for COP26 Alok Sharma, who represents the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Group of Seven (G7), on the support for Vietnam in energy transition.
Speaking at the meeting, Ha said that energy transition is a key factor for Vietnam to realise the goal of bringing the net gas emissions to zero by 2050 that it committed at COP26 last year.
However, in this work, Vietnam are still facing many difficulties as it is home to a lot of coal-fired power plants built a long time ago, he said, as cited by VietnamPlus.
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| At the working session between Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha (R) and President for COP26 Alok Sharma. Photo: VNA |
The development of renewable energies must go in line with ensuring energy security, the minister stressed, proposing the UK, the EU and G7 countries to support the transfer of advanced technologies related to wind and solar power to Vietnam to help the country successfully implement the energy transition, ensuring affordable prices for everyone.
Alok Sharma welcomed Vietnam’s strong commitment to energy transition of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, agreeing to continue the negotiations to come to an agreement harmoniously ensuring both sides’ interests.
The two sides also exchanged views on how to enhance mutual understanding, and agreed that the two parties need to have political commitments on energy transition.
Also on the sidelines of COP27, Ha met US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry on November 7, who affirmed support to Vietnam in just energy transition and climate change response.
Kerry said the US will boost cooperation with Vietnam and work together with the Southeast Asian nation to fulfill climate commitments, according to Nhan dan (People) newspaper.
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| At the meeting between Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. Photo: VNA |
For his part, Ha reiterated Vietnam’s commitment made at COP26 to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and stressed that the country is rolling out comprehensive measures in energy transition to complete the target.
However, he said, ensuring energy security to serve economic development and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time require international support in terms of both resources and technology.
The two sides compared notes on ways and solutions to cope with climate change and limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius as set in the Paris Agreement on climate change./.
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| Workers pass by a sign at the convention center hosting the COP27 U.N. Climate Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Saturday. Photo: AP |
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The COP27 is taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from November 6-18. Since 1995, world leaders and their delegates have convened annually to discuss the critical issue of global warming, carbon emissions and how to tackle climate change, according to The Washington Post. Since Berlin hosted the first summit almost three decades ago, the location has rotated among five UN regional groupings: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, and Western Europe and Others. This year’s location has prompted calls for the conference to focus on African countries, which are some of the most vulnerable to climate change despite being among the lowest emitters, but it has also invited criticism of Egypt’s human rights record. Under a 2015 Paris accord, countries agreed to keep global warming “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with preindustrial levels and, more ambitiously if possible, to stop at 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit). But a UN report last month warned the world could be on track for a 2.5 degree Celsius (4.5 degree Fahrenheit) rise in global temperatures by the end of the century. The UN has cast COP27 as a critical platform to catch up as “the work ahead is immense.” |
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