Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamese and Danish architects and experts exchanged knowledge on the urban green transition at a dialogue in Hanoi on November 28.
At the event, held by the the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam with the theme of “Greener Together – Urban Green Transition – From Denmark to Vietnam”, speakers shared solutions for integrating green infrastructure and sustainable practices into urban planning. They also looked at case studies from cities around the world that are successfully transitioning to greener, more sustainable models that Vietnam could draw on.
Mette Ekeroth, Deputy Head of Mission at the Danish Embassy stressed that Vietnam and Denmark share a strong commitment to sustainable development within the bilateral framework of the Green Strategic Partnership.
“We are very pleased to be Vietnam’s long-term friend and strong supporter of the country’s impressive social and economic growth. Now focus is on the transition to a greener and more sustainable development. Economic security must go hand in hand with social and environmental security. The dialogue on urban green transition today aims at ensuring that people will continue to thrive in cities of the future," she said.
Henriette Vamberg, Managing Director of Gehl’s Europe, Asia and Australia, shared her excitement to be a speaker at the dialogue as “Gehl has for over two decades worked with global cities to tackle the imminent challenges caused by transport paradigms from the past. The solutions have been bold and big as well as strategic and small. There are many routes to an urban green transition and I’m looking forward to share some of these with the audience in Hanoi”.
At the event, attendees can visit the “Green Together” exhibition, which showcases Danish green solutions in different sectors: energy, water management, circular economy, and sustainable and liveable cities.
The exhibition will be open to the public until December 2, 2024.
According to Vietnam’s national urban and rural system planning for the 2021-30 period with a vision to 2050, the country’s urbanisation rate is projected to exceed 50% by 2030.
As the world shifts toward a greener future, cities are at the forefront of developing innovative solutions to combat climate change. The urban green transition is not merely a trend—it is a necessity to create liveable, resilient and sustainable urban environments for future generations.
Denmark’s Copenhagen ranks in the top three of the world’s most sustainable and livable cities.
The city of Copenhagen’s vast experience has inspired Vietnam during its urban green transition journey.
According to the Ministry of Construction, Vietnamese cities are projected to add between 1 million and 1.3 million people annually. While urbanisation increased to 42.6% in 2023 from 30.5% in 2010. The trend is expected to continue to rise in the coming years.
However, the reality also reveals that, alongside issues such as spontaneous development, lack of planning, and fragmented infrastructure, Vietnamese cities generally lack a systematic approach and vision for the green urban model.
Vietnam’s impressive economic growth and rapid urbanisation have brought serious challenges, including air pollution, traffic density, scarcity of water supply, waste management, and climate resilience issues./.
