At the COP21 (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – A seminar was held in Hanoi on March 4 to discuss preparations for realising the Paris Agreement which was reached at the 21 st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) last December.
The Paris accord sets a target of limiting the planet’s warming to below 2 degrees Celsius compared with temperatures at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, while aiming for an even more ambitious goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius. To do so, member states committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by shifting to a low carbon socio-economic development model, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said at the event.
UNDP Country Director Louise Chamberlain said the shift to green energy requires effective and active coordination among ministries and agencies.
The international community should develop legally-binding documents, while the government should build a legal corridor for the cause and create a level playing field for domestic firms, she said.
Annette Frick, First Secretary and Counsellor of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Vietnam, underscored the need for sound policies, involvement of parties concerned and the government’s support throughout the process.
Participants pointed out Vietnam’s advantages and disadvantages when it comes to materialising the agreement, and solutions to effectuating the State’s policies and law on climate change response.
The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; the United Nations Development Programme; the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety of Germany; and the German Agency for International Co-operation (GIZ).-VNA
