Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai yesterday asked ministries, sectors and localities to regularly update climate change scenarios and adjust their development plans as well as promote further studies regarding the issue.
Speaking at a meeting with donors of the country’s Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change (SP-RCC), Hai, who is also vice head of the National Committee for Climate Change, said that Viet Nam is committed to further implementing activities in response to climate change.
Hai said that during the past time, the country has been making efforts in climate change response. For example, the climate change factor was taken into account in almost all socio-economic strategies and plans at all levels, and many responding projects were carried out.
Public awareness about the impacts and responses to climate change was raised, he added.
However, the country still faces challenges in promoting co-ordination among ministries, sectors and localities, engaging social resources to take activities, or timely review and assessment of the results of projects.
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said that in September 2012, the Prime Minister approved 62 key projects under the support programme to respond to climate change with total approved investment of VND17 trillion (US$809 million).
In this year alone, VND350 billion ($16.6 million) would be disbursed for 11 projects in most localities including the Mekong Delta provinces of Hau Giang, An Giang, Kien Giang and the northern provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau.
Deputy Minister Ha said that the programme is expected to receive about $278 million – 328 million from donors including the World Bank, the Japanese International Co-operation Agency and the French Agency for Development.
At the meeting, representatives from Viet Nam’s donors committed to continue helping Viet Nam in climate change response, especially with technical support and policy implementation.
The SP-RCC is a multi-donor partnership that supports the Government of Viet Nam in developing policy and institutional actions to enable an effective climate change response during 2012-15. Contributing donors include Japan, the World Bank, France, Canada and South Korea, with a combined commitment currently valued at over $200 million per annum.
This is a performance-based policy operation where funds are released following the achievement of jointly agreed policy actions. These policy actions centre on climate change adaptation, mitigation and cross-cutting issues.
