Decision 888/QD-TTg 2022 tasks and solutions to implement the outcomes of COP26

DECISION

Approving the Scheme on tasks and solutions to implement the outcomes of the 26^th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26)^[1]

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP of January 8, 2022, on major tasks and solutions to implement the 2022 socio-economic development plan and state budget estimates;

At the proposal of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment,

DECIDES:

Article 1: To approve the Scheme on tasks and solutions to implement the outcomes of the 26^th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) with the following major contents:

I. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

To proactively follow the global trend of low-carbon development, mobilize resources and renew technologies in order to change growth models, restructure the economy and contribute to exerting efforts to respond to global climate change; to work out and perform tasks and comprehensive solutions to respond to climate change and speed up energy transition so as to realize the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

2. Specific objectives 

- To improve a comprehensive legal framework to encourage, promote and facilitate low-carbon development and reduction of emissions; to review and promptly remove procedural obstacles, thereby creating breakthroughs in attracting investment influxes and low-carbon development of international organizations and financial institutions investing in Vietnam through reforming mechanisms, policies and laws.

- To review, update and adjust national, sectoral and local strategies, master plans and plans in line with the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; to formulate plans for synchronous and efficient implementation of the goal based on strategies and master plans.

- To step up activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the spheres of energy, transport, building material production, agriculture and waste treatment. By 2030, to promote the use of electricity and green energy in the transport sector with E5 petrol acccounting for 100%; to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 32.6% in energy, 43% in agriculture, 70% in forestry and land use while increasing carbon sequestration by 20%, 60.7% in waste treatment and 38.3% in industrial processes (compared with the development-as-usual scenario); to study and widely apply solutions to capture and store carbon from major emission sources.

- To determine in details offshore wind and wave energy potential in Vietnam’s maritime zones; to determine maritime zones for attracting investors and put into operation a number of offshore wind mills in potential areas. By 2030, the ratio of renewable energy sources, including hydropower, wind power, solar power and biomass power, will make up at least 33% of the total electricity output; to reduce the proportion of fossil fuels; to join international energy organizations.

- To develop new zero emission energy projects such as production of green hydrogen and green ammonia to serve socio-economic development; to develop energy storage technologies including storage battery, storage hydropower, heat storage and smart grid, ensuring the stability and high rate of renewable energy integrated into the power system.

- To formulate mechanisms for carbon credit exchange and offset and the domestic carbon credit trading market. By 2030, the domestic carbon market will be put into operation and linked with regional and global carbon markets.

- To synchronously and efficiently carry out activities to adapt to climate change and restore natural resources and ecosystems; to basically ensure climate-resilient infrastructure facilities, particularly those in areas vulnerable to, or at risk of, climate change impacts; to widely apply nature-, ecosystem- and community-based adaptation solutions; to develop ecological agriculture, and protect, conserve, sustainably use and develop forests.

- To implement the UN’s initiative on the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Plan to plant one billion trees for a greener Vietnam.

- To forge and enter into a fair and just energy transition partnership; to join the Global Adaptation Alliance and international initiatives on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and energy transition.

- To promote climate diplomacy; to comprehensively develop scientific researches, innovation, and intensify capacity building for and communications about low-carbon development and reduction of emissions.

II. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

1. Synchronously improving mechanisms, policies and laws, stepping up the reform of administrative procedures and improving the business investment environment

- To review and remove obstacles regarding institutions, mechanisms, policies and legal regulations; to accelerate the implementation of the roadmap to reduce and simplify administrative procedures, improve business investment environment in order to facilitate the attraction of investment influxes and green finance of international financial institutions and international groups that enter Vietnam for cooperation and implementation of projects, particularly those on climate change response, energy transition, and green and clean fuel production.

- To promulgate regulations on fuel consumption limits for road motor vehicles; and regulations on efficiency of energy utilization for means of transport.

- To promulgate mechanisms to promote and offer incentives for the use of biofuels, electricity, green ammonia and green hydrogen in transport; to implement carbon pricing instruments; to promote investment in reducing emissions in all spheres; to boost trade development and production, consumption of green and sustainable goods, accelerate digital transformation and develop digital economy.

- To promulgate and implement the National Climate Change Strategy through 2050, and update Vietnam’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in conformity with its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; the national master plan on electric power development for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2045; the action plan on methane emission reduction by 2030, plan to implement the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, plan to shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, plan on green energy transition in transport, and action plans of sectors and fields to realize Vietnam’s commitments at COP26; to incorporate such tasks in national and sectoral strategies and master plans for efficient implementation.

2. Developing new renewable and carbon-free energy sources, energy storage and carbon capture, storage and utilization technologies

- To develop renewable energy projects (solar power, offshore wind power, hydropower, tidal energy, biomass energy, etc.); to research, develop and use green ammonia and green hydrogen fuels; to store energy and develop carbon capture, storage and utilization technologies; to evaluate the potential and reserves of minerals for battery production, energy storage and utilization in assembling zero-emission devices and vehicles.

- To intensify the electrification and efficient use of energy in civil, industrial and transport activities; to develop the smart grid, operate new energy sources and flexible power sources; to implement power demand management and load adjustment programs; to develop electric cars in Vietnam.

- To study the establishment of the National Renewable Energy Center to develop human resources, transfer technologies and share experiences and national administration in the field; to consider the possibility of joining the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to accelerate energy transition, and mobilize funds for climate change response and energy transition.

- To conduct mineral surveys, study the development of new materials and technologies for energy transmission and storage.

3. Promoting reduction of emissions in transport and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in building material production, urban development and green construction works

- To speed up the shifting from road transport to railway, inland waterway and coastal shipping; to strengthen the linkage of various transport modes with high-quality logistic services and reduce the empty running coefficient of vehicles; to shift from the use of private vehicles to the use of mass transit vehicles, thereby raising the market share of mass transit in urban centers; to expand and develop non-motorized transport.

- To shift to activities based on green and low carbon emission criteria for ports, wharves and stations; to develop green energy infrastructure facilities for means of transport; to develop green and low-carbon emission transport infrastructure facilities.

- To carry out activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in building material production; to develop green, smart and ecological urban centers and green and low-carbon emission construction works.

4. Developing ecological, circular and low-carbon agriculture; protecting, conserving, sustainably using and developing forests

- To develop ecological, organic, circular, low-carbon, environmentally friendly and climate-resilient agriculture; to form large-scale concentrated commodity production zones in combination with farm produce processing and prevervation establishments using modern low-emission technologies; to shift to climate resilient crops and livestock with high efficiency and marketability.

- To protect, conserve, sustainably use and develop forests and forestry land areas, particularly the existing forest areas, in order to reduce emissions and increase forest carbon sequestration; to afforest, develop forests, and restore forests and natural ecological systems of protection and special-use forests; to zone off for tending and restoration of natural forests, regenerate and enrich forests, and improve forest carbon quality and storage.

5. Protecting and restoring natural resources, developing natural ecosystems

- To protect, restore and develop natural resources, natural ecosystems and marine ecology; to protect and sustainably develop important water generation sources and wetland ecosystems.

- To improve and restore degraded, depleted and polluted water sources; to manage and economically and efficiently exploit and use water sources, particularly those in areas prone to drought, water scarcity or salinity intrusion.

- To landfill solid wastes with gas recovery for power generation and apply semi-aerobic decomposition for biomass power generation; to multiply models of producing composts from domestic wastes; to burn solid wastes for electricity generation; to apply circular models in waste treatment and accelerate waste separation at source.

6. Taking the initiative in adapting to climate change

- To invest in developing infrastructure facilities and urban centers adaptable to climate change, prevent and control natural disasters in vulnerable areas, particularly coastal areas, lakes and rivers; to adopt nature-, ecosystem- and community-based adaptation approaches.

- To raise the capacity of observation, warning and forecast of hydro-meteorology and natural disasters and information transmission; to build the climate change and sea level rise monitoring systems.

- To review and update master plans on construction of climate change adaption and climate resilient urban centers; to plan, arrange and relocate population, build safety houses for residents in areas prone to natural disasters, particularly flash floods and landslides.

- To develop and pilot a number of social security and fair transition models suitable to natural, ecological and social conditions of different regions and areas.

7. Conducting scientific research and innovation, building capacity and intensifying communications

- To evaluate sectors’ and fields’ demands for clean low-carbon technologies so as to realize the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; to perform scientific and technological tasks and carry out innovative activities for low-carbon development in sectors and fields.

- To study and pilot solutions to capture and store carbon from major emission sources in a number of potential fields and regions, thereby ensuring financial efficiency and possibility of multiplication; to study the development of new low-emission materials.

- To design and carry out communication activities to improve public awareness about response to climate change; to develop education and training programs incorporated with climate change response contents for all education levels.

8. Promoting climate diplomacy

- To mobilize international resources (public and private financial resources, technologies, knowledge, experiences, etc.) through high-ranking exchanges and visits and working programs of ministries, sectors and localities with foreign partners, Vietnamese representative missions abroad, and facilitate the establishment of bilateral and multilateral relations with international partners.

- To learn experiences, models and good practices in other countries’ realization of their commitments at COP26, initiatives to respond to climate change, models of green growth, and industrial, transport and energy transition serving the transformation of growth model towards low emission and circular economy.

- To proactively join international climate change organizations, mechanisms and forums and make substantial contributions to and propose new ideas and initiatives at regional and global mechanisms.

III. RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTATION

1. Funds for the implementation of the Scheme shall be allocated from the state budget in accordance with current laws, social resources and funding sources mobilized from organizations, individuals and other lawful sources under regulations.

2. To mobilize support from international organizations, development partners, domestic and international funds and financial institutions; to promote investment by the private sector in low-carbon development projects; to promote the development of domestic carbon market in order to increase investments in low-carbon development.

IV. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The National Steering Committee for implementing Vietnam’s commitments at COP26 (below referred to as the Steering Committee) shall direct and coordinate the implementation of the Scheme in accordance with the Operation Regulation of the Steering Committee promulgated together with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 2201/QD-TTg of December 26, 2021.

2. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

- To perform, in the capacity of standing body, the task of organizing the implementation of the Scheme; to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors, localities and related agencies in, assisting the Steering Committee in monitoring, inspecting and evaluating implementation results.

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and related agencies in, organizing dialogue forums on cooperation in realizing Vietnam’s commitments at COP26.

3. The Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for organizing the performance of related tasks, focusing on energy and transport transition; development of urban centers and green and low-carbon construction works; and development of smart, ecological, organic, circular, low carbon and climate resilient agriculture.

4. The Ministry of Planning and Investment

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and related ministries in, allocating domestic and foreign investment funds from the state budget for implementation of the Scheme in accordance with regulations on assurance of safety of public debts and national foreign debts.

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, sectors and localities in, reviewing and adding priority and urgent projects into medium-term public investment plans under regulations.

5. The Ministry of Finance

- Based on proposals of ministries and sectors and balancing capacity of the state budget, to submit to competent authorities for consideration and decision the allocation of recurrent expenditure estimates of the central budget to ministries and central agencies for the implementation of the Scheme’s tasks approved by competent authorities in accordance with the law on the state budget.

- To perform the assigned functions and tasks to mobilize foreign loans and aid from international organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners for investing in climate change response under regulations.

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Planning and Investment in, negotiating and receiving aid and loans from donors based on the Government’s public debt management targets.

6. The Ministry of Science and Technology

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in, organizing the evaluation of the demand for clean and low-carbon technology in Vietnam to realize the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; to organize the performance of scientific and technological tasks and innovation in low-carbon development in all sectors and fields.

- To allocate scientific and technological non-business funds to ministries, sectors and localities for performing scientific research and technological development tasks in order to realize Vietnam’s commitments at COP26.

7. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, related ministries, sectors and agencies in, carrying out climate diplomacy activities, making the best use of external resources, and raising Vietnam’s role and position in bilateral and multilateral organizations, mechanisms and forums.

8. The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in, mobilizing technical assistance for Vietnam to complete laws to implement legally binding commitments at COP26.

9. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall organize activities to accelerate the digital transformation and develop digital resources to serve socio-economic development in line with Vietnam’s commitments; and direct press and communications agencies in promptly disseminating information among organizations, enterprises and people for their participation in the realization of the commitments.

10. The State Bank of Vietnam shall assume the prime responsibility for reviewing and improving legal frameworks on green credits, mechanisms, policies and sanctions in order to facilitate the green credit growth; help credit institutions receive international aid and concessional loans to finance green projects; and draw up a roadmap on conversion of credit portfolios so as to realize the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

11. The Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises shall coordinate with ministries and sectors in removing difficulties and obstacles of state-owned corporations and enterprises in the course of implementing the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

12. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies

- To review and propose amendments to codes, specialized laws, legal documents, and update and add mechanisms and policies, development strategies, master plans and plans of all sectors and fields in line with the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

- To take the initiative in allocating and mobilizing resources for the performance of the tasks set forth in this Scheme; to supervise and evaluate the Scheme’s implementation results and send regular reports thereon to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for summarization and reporting to the Steering Committee at its regular sessions.

13. Provincial-level People’s Committees

- To incorporate objectives, tasks and solutions to implement the COP26 outcomes in provincial master plans and socio-economic development plans in conformity with practical conditions of their localities.

- To take the initiative in recommending the mobilization of various resources for the performance of tasks and solutions to adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and participation in programs and projects based on carbon credit exchange and offsetting mechanisms and  their localities’ potential and strengths.

- To plan and carry out public communication on, improve the public awareness about, and provide training on climate change response, with a view to realizing the national commitment.

14. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry shall mobilize associations and businesses to actively take part in realizing the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in intensifying connections with international and foreign business associations in order to call for financial aid and technological assistance to realize the commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees and related organizations and individuals shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
LE VAN THANH