VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's total greenhouse emissions are predicted to reach 466 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents in 2020, according to experts at a workshop on climate change held in Ha Noi yesterday, July 28.

That means almost double 2010's levels of 246.8 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents, according to deputy director of the Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Department, Tran Van Luong.

The event reviewed the Ministry of Industry and Trade's implementation of the National Target Programme To Respond to Climate Change in the 2010-15 period.

Luong noted that the energy sector contributed the largest amount, with 141 million tonnes in 2010 and a forecast of 381 million tonnes in 2020.

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific's 2011 report indicated that Viet Nam had the highest CO2 emissions growth in the region at 9.89 per cent.

Head of the ministry's Chemical Department, Nguyen Van Thanh, said coordination among units in the industry and trade sectors was still unsatisfactory and activities mainly focused on research and training.

"The ministry has built projects to respond to climate change, but they have not been carried out due to poor financial resources and a lack of specific assistance mechanisms," said Thanh.

Many participants at the workshop agreed that investment for the national climate change programme remained limited. On average, only VND6 billion (US$275,000) is set aside for fighting climate change.

According to a report by the ministry, a total investment capital of VND32 billion was spent over five years. The agency implemented 11 projects to disseminate knowledge and reinforce capacity to respond to climate change, and another 14 projects to evaluate the effects and solutions for climate change and seawater rising.

However, the report pointed out that experimentation of emissions reduction models in the industry sector were not conducted, as planned.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong, in an attempt to move forward, required relevant bodies to double-down on combating other climate change issues and seawater rising, not just long-term greenhouse gas emissions targets.

"With a limited budget, relevant bodies must put forth mechanisms and policies in order to encourage and mobilise the business community to take an active part in the fight against climate change," Vuong stressed.

The development of wind energy - Viet Nam is considered a country with great potential in the region - is a feasible solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

As expected, among 48 wind-energy projects registered in Viet Nam, only two have completed their first phase and are operating in Binh Thuan and Bac Lieu provinces, the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported.

If Viet Nam successfully builds wind energy development projects, the country could reduce as much as 1.5 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents by 2020 and 10 million tonnes by 2030, according to the e-paper Vietnamplus.

In the National Electricity Scheme for the 2011-20 period, wind energy was made a priority renewable energy. Specifically, the country targets to develop 1,000MW of wind energy capacity by 2020.

VNS