The Ministry of Industry and Trade on Feb. 28 launched a campaign in response to Earth Hour 2012 in Vietnam.

The ministry called on organisation and individuals to join the campaign, switching off unnecessary lighting systems from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 31.

While stressing the importance of energy and renewable efficiency, Danish Ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen, who is also Earth Hour 2012 ambassador, said that Denmark is assisting Vietnam in developing an environmentally friendly energy industry in order to maintain strong socio-economic growth.

The northern European country has also helped Vietnam with climate change issues and increasing energy efficiency, he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy General Director of Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) said the group will install 70,000 solar energy water heaters in the 2011-2015 period, including 25,000 in 2012.

The EVN group, which is the sponsor of the Earth Hour 2012 in Vietnam , pledged to ensure sustainable development, national resource preservation and environmental protection as well as make contributions to the implementation of the national energy efficiency policy.

Sponsored by the World Wide Fund for Nature and first implemented in 2007 in Australia , the event aims to raise people’s awareness of saving power and using power more efficiently to reduce the negative impacts of climate change.

According to the UNDP, Vietnam is one of the five most vulnerable countries due to rising sea levels. If the sea levels increase by 1m, Vietnam will loses 5 percent of its land area while 11 percent of people will lose their homes, agricultural output will fall by 7 percent and GDP will be reduced by 10 percent.

Experts estimated that the power industry will save up to 50 million USD that can be used for building new power supply facilities if 3-5 percent of electricity is saved every year.

The national target programme on using energy economically and efficiently strives to save 5-8 percent of total energy consumption.

Last year, Vietnam saved 400,000 kWh of electricity during Earth Hour. This year, the country targets a saving of 20 percent more.

Earth Hour 2012 will take place in 135 countries and territories with the participation of 1.8 billion people.-VNA