Almost 180 domestic and international delegates will attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Green Growth Forum in Hanoi from October 3-4.

Themed, “Jointly acting towards green economies”, the event is supported by the Republic of Korea , the UK , Germany and the Netherlands and was an initiative of Vietnam at the eighth Asia – Europe Summit in Belgium last year.

Participants will focus on discussing experience in planning and implementing national policies and strategies on green growth in Asia and Europe, increasing international organisations and institutions’ contributions and role in promoting green growth, and proposing measures to increase ASEM’s contributions to international common efforts and its cooperation towards green growth.

The event offers a chance for Vietnam to gain experience and seek support from ASEM member countries in developing green growth models, protecting the environment as well as effectively exploiting natural resources.

Green growth is a term to describe measures to encourage growth and economic development while ensuring environmental hygiene, preserving biodiversity and adapting to climate change.

As one of 26 ASEM founding member countries, Vietnam has made important contributions to ASEM over the past 15 years, especially the successful hosting of the fifth ASEM Summit in 2004.

So far, Vietnam has put forward 16 initiatives and co-authored 17 initiatives in enhancing ASEM cooperation in the fields of culture, education, healthcare, transport, energy security and climate change.

In addition to this forum, Vietnam hosted the ASEM Forum on Social Safety Network in Hanoi from April 18-19 and will also organise the fourth ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers’ Conference and the 14 th unofficial ASEM workshop on human rights in 2012 and 2014./.