Month: March 2024

HCM City: Ho Chi Minh City needs to adopt policies and channel financial resources to develop a carbon credit market in an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions and respond to global warming, experts said.

Speaking at a seminar on February 29, Dr. Su Dinh Thanh, Director of the University of Economics HCM City, the event’s organiser, said it was vital for the city to establish a carbon credit market to shape standards and trends for other localities to promote the carbon market.

‘The establishment of a carbon credit market will create green financial resources for technological innovation enterprises in the city,’ Thanh said.

The city is preparing for a pilot phase of carbon trading, which is set to begin in 2025, with full operations expected to commence in 2028.

The carbon market is expected to attract investment in renewable energy, environmental technology, and international climate finance.

It will also promote a green economy and create new job opportunities while enhancing the city’s internationa
l reputation in climate change mitigation efforts.

Within Southeast Asia, only Indonesia has implemented a mandatory carbon market for the energy sector.

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As a dynamic and fast-growing city, HCM City is facing various environmental challenges, particularly air pollution, with annual carbon emissions exceeding 60 million tonnes, accounting for over 20% of the nation’s emissions.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, a research group member on the carbon market at the University of Economics HCM City, said the city needed to exploit specific mechanisms and policies through the National Assembly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to climate change.

Resolution 98 allows the city to pilot a financial mechanism for measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions via the use of the city’s budget for carbon credit exchange, according to Nhung.

These mechanisms enable the city to control environmental pollution, attract sustainable investments, generate revenue and funding for environmental projects
, and fulfil international commitments on emission reduction.

Moreover, voluntary development of the carbon market will help the city generate significant revenue through issuing and selling carbon credits and from emission reduction projects using abundant energy sources such as solar, wind, and waste.

Hoang Le Nam Hai, another research group member on the carbon market at the University of Economics HCM City, said the carbon market would create opportunities to attract investment in renewable energy, environmental technology, and international climate finance.

It would also promote a green economy and create new jobs while enhancing the city’s international reputation in climate change mitigation efforts.

HCM City has set a target of reducing emissions by 10 per cent by 2030 and moving towards a low-carbon economy, with the possibility of a 30% reduction.

Experts also recommended the city equip businesses and the community with knowledge while enhancing awareness of the carbon market.

It also needs to
implement policies to encourage and support businesses in voluntarily setting emission reduction targets, and engaging in carbon credit transactions to offset their emissions.

Vietnam plans to officially run a carbon trade exchange in 2028 under a project conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Under the scheme, Vietnam will pilot the operation of this carbon credit market in 2025 to connect and exchange carbon credits with regional and international markets.

From now until the end of 2027, the country will focus on developing regulations on carbon credit management and the exchange of greenhouse gas emission quotas and carbon credits.

The operation of the carbon trade exchange contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions under previous climate commitments, especially the goal of Vietnam to reduce net emissions to zero by 2050 under the COP26.

A carbon credit is a kind of permit that represents one tonne of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.

They can be purchased by
an individual or, more commonly, a company to make up for carbon dioxide emissions that come from industrial production, delivery vehicles or travel./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Binh Phuoc: A ceremony to start the search for, collection and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who laid down their lives during wartime in Cambodia, in the 2023 – 2024 dry season (the second phase), was held at the Hoa Lu International Border Gate in the southern province of Binh Phuoc on March 1.

The event was organised by the provincial Steering Committee for search, collection and identification of fallen soldiers’ remains (Steering Committee 515).

Previously, during the first phase of the mission in the 2023 – 2024 dry season, Team K72 under the provincial Military Command collected and repatriated the remains of 43 volunteer soldiers and Vietnamese experts found in Kratie and Kampong Thom provinces of Cambodia. The remains were then reburied in Binh Phuoc’s martyrs’ cemetery on February 2.

In the second phase, the team will continue their mission in the mentioned-above localities.

Addressing the ceremony, Colonel Pham Nhu Quan – Political Commissar of the provinci
al Military Command and deputy head of the Standing Board of the provincial Steering Committee 515, reminded the searching team to maintain close coordination with the authorities, armed forces, and people of the host country to gather more information about fallen soldiers, and expediting the repatriation of their remains back to their homeland.

After more than two decades, Team K72 has so far collected and repatriated 2,853 sets of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts from Cambodia./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: In a written response to a lawmaker’s inquiry on March 1, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed ministries, agencies, and localities to address challenges hindering the timely supply of materials, particularly sand, for infrastructure projects in the Mekong Delta.

Acknowledging the limitations of completely replacing natural sand with artificial alternatives, he highlighted the high costs associated with large-scale rock quarrying and establishing production lines to meet the demand.

Therefore, it is preferable to prioritise artificial sand as a substitute for natural sand in specific projects in certain items with relatively low consumption, such as asphalt concrete and cement concrete production, he said.

To address the immediate sand shortage in the Mekong Delta, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) has launched a pilot project using sea sand as a substitute for river sand on a small scale. In the coming time, it should be tested on a larger scale under stricter design standards and in different env
ironment conditions to fully evaluate the long-term viability of this approach, he added.

The PM also further highlighted efforts by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to manage available resources and explore sustainable solutions.

Looking ahead to future infrastructure investments in the Mekong Delta, the PM instructed the MoT to conduct a comprehensive study on developing sustainable transportation solutions for the region. This study should also include proposals to secure reliable sources of filling materials for project implementation./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: In a written response to a lawmaker’s inquiry on March 1, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed ministries, agencies, and localities to address challenges hindering the timely supply of materials, particularly sand, for infrastructure projects in the Mekong Delta.

Acknowledging the limitations of completely replacing natural sand with artificial alternatives, he highlighted the high costs associated with large-scale rock quarrying and establishing production lines to meet the demand.

Therefore, it is preferable to prioritise artificial sand as a substitute for natural sand in specific projects in certain items with relatively low consumption, such as asphalt concrete and cement concrete production, he said.

To address the immediate sand shortage in the Mekong Delta, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) has launched a pilot project using sea sand as a substitute for river sand on a small scale. In the coming time, it should be tested on a larger scale under stricter design standards and in different env
ironment conditions to fully evaluate the long-term viability of this approach, he added.

The PM also further highlighted efforts by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to manage available resources and explore sustainable solutions.

Looking ahead to future infrastructure investments in the Mekong Delta, the PM instructed the MoT to conduct a comprehensive study on developing sustainable transportation solutions for the region. This study should also include proposals to secure reliable sources of filling materials for project implementation./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: The Ho Chi Minh City Association for Protection of Child Rights and the Save the Children International in Vietnam on March 1 launched a project ‘Rainbow Voice – Gender and gender equality issues in implementing programmes to support children and adolescents’.

Nguyen Trong Vu Binh, a representative from the Save the Children International in Vietnam, said that the project’s goal is to accompany Ho Chi Minh City in gradually improving gender capacity and gender equality issues for municipal agencies, units, and social organisations in the process of implementing support programmes and in the field of child and adolescent protection, thus helping children develop physically, intellectually and spiritually.

Mai Thi Ngoc Mai, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Protection of Child Rights, said that the project helps build and complete communication documents to support the raising of public awareness of gender and gender equality issues; and holds training for non-public social assistanc
e organisations, and organisations, agencies and units of the child protection system.

Surveys will be conducted to collect opinions from children and adolescents to assess their awareness of gender and gender equality issues in the supply of support services, along with seminars related to domestic violence prevention and control for those directly affected.

The project also aims to promote the right to participation of children and adolescents on the basis of ensuring gender equality issues, and provide training for children and adolescents on gender-related knowledge and gender equality issues in accordance with the Children’s Law, and the National Strategy on Gender Equality./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations and the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam on March 1 co-organised a ceremony to mark Bulgaria’s National Day (March 3,1878-2024) in the southern metropolis.

Addressing the event, Bulgarian Ambassador Pavlin Todorov stated that it is an act of preserving memories of Bulgaria in Vietnam, contributing to the development of the relationship between the two nations.

The diplomat said the Vietnam-Bulgaria traditional friendship has been preserved and developed across various fields. In addition to strong political and diplomatic relations, their economic and trade ties have seen positive developments and still have plenty of room for improvement in the future.

Potential areas for bilateral collaboration also include science and technology, energy, industry, agriculture, healthcare, information technology, tourism, education and training and locality-to-locality cooperation, he noted.

People-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries pla
y a crucial role in strengthening their relations, he added.

In response, Chairwoman of the municipal Vietnam-Bulgaria Friendship Association Hoang Thai Lan said that the countries have a long-standing bond of friendship, as Bulgaria was one of the first ten countries in the world to recognise Vietnam’s independence and establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam on February 8, 1950. In 2013, they elevated their relations to a strategic partnership, opening up new opportunities for cooperation.

Over the past 74 years, the governments and people of both countries have continuously nurtured the traditional friendship in various fields such as politics, diplomacy, culture, science, education, and security-defence, she remarked./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency