Vietnam and Japan Enhance Collaboration on Climate Change Adaptation

The eighth Vietnam – Japan environmental policy dialogue took place on January 12 in a hybrid format, with Japan’s State Minister of the Environment, Yagi Tetsuya, and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Le Cong Thanh, co-chairing the event, as reported by VNA.

Deputy Minister Thanh emphasized the significance of the event as the memorandum of understanding for cooperation signed by the two ministries in 2020 had expired. He stated that this provides an opportunity for the two ministries to discuss and initiate a new phase of cooperation in the areas of environment, climate change, and plastic waste reduction.

Japanese State Minister Yagi expressed that the cooperation between the two ministries has yielded concrete and practical results, particularly in the field of environment and climate change adaptation.

Japan’s State Minister of the Environment, Yagi Tetsuya, and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Le Cong Thanh, at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on environment between the two ministries. Photo: baotainguyenmoitruong.vn

Vietnam has participated in the Joint Credit Mechanism proposed by the Japanese Government to implement bilateral cooperation with developing countries.

So far, more than 40 projects related to the mechanism have been carried out in Vietnam, contributing to the enhancement of Vietnam’s capacity to implement Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and promoting the process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Regarding collaboration in natural disaster mitigation, Deputy Minister Thanh expressed Vietnam’s interest in developing solutions for an early warning system, including a network of hydrometeorological monitoring stations.

The Ministry encouraged Japanese businesses to engage in the hydrometeorological service market in Vietnam. Thanh also conveyed his ministry’s support for initiatives on the early warning system by the Japanese environment ministry.

Minister Yagi shared that his ministry is working towards implementing early warning measures in countries in the Asia-Pacific region through public-private partnerships.

Regarding the issue of pollution caused by plastic waste, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh mentioned that the Japanese Ministry of the Environment has provided support in terms of equipment for investigating, surveying, and analyzing ocean plastic waste, as well as capacity building through training courses and organizing seminars on ocean plastic waste in Vietnam and ASEAN countries.

Regarding waste management, Yagi stated that Japan has supported Vietnam in establishing infrastructure such as waste treatment facilities that generate electricity and in developing regulations for appropriate waste treatment. As part of continuous efforts, Japan will hold a technical dialogue in March to establish specific areas of cooperation. By the fall of 2024, both sides will organize the 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific.

In addition to cooperation in mitigating the impacts of climate change, Vietnam seeks Japan’s support in addressing pollution, particularly in the areas of ocean plastic waste, electronic waste, expired solar panels, solid waste, wastewater, and air and water environment control.

Yagi affirmed that the Japanese Ministry of the Environment is always ready to cooperate and collaborate with the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in carrying out activities related to environmental protection and climate change adaptation.