Our primary activities include working with the five provinces of the Red River Delta on disaster preparedness and preparing communities to adapt to the effects of climate change.
The second objective is promoting green growth, which we do in two ways. One is through clean energy and energy efficiency, so that energy can be produced with less greenhouse gases being emitted.
But, equally important is agricultural development that is good for the environment, meaning techniques which allow farmers to produce rice with less fertilizers, making it less expensive while releasing much fewer gases at the same time. We are not the only ones who are working with Vietnam in this area. I have heard a great deal about the support of France, Norway, Germany, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) who are making sizeable contributions.
What are the critical issues that the US will help address in the Red River Delta after the symposium?
We have held meetings with leaders from the five provinces of the coastline and the Red River Delta. Each one of them has developed climate change action plans. Keeping this in mind, our first responsibility is to support the implementation of these action plans.
Our second task is to carry on what we have been doing before the symposium, which is to increase interprovincial coordination. This has been done in the Mekong delta and I see no reason it cannot be done in the Red River Delta as well.
This is the framework. Within the provinces, we will fund specific activities. And we are not the only ones. JICA, France, Germany, as well as the World Bank and Norway will also be engaged in the funding of specific activities.
We will also work with our provincial partners to compile a list of proposals for the Green Climate Fund. This will also involve other partners, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. When we show that Vietnam, which is going to be affected more than most countries by climate change, is also putting proposals forward to the Green Climate Fund it is going to have an impact beyond Vietnam. It will show that a smart developing country can tap into these resources to address both the adaptation and mitigation challenges of climate change.
Does the US have further plans in Vietnam after the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21)?
First of all, the COP 21 produced a historic agreement. I would like to express my admiration and appreciation for Vietnam’s leadership and Vietnam’s early and very serious contributions to the important agreement that we reached in Paris.
Second, as you know, president Obama plans to visit Vietnam in May. And the Obama administration is very focused on collaborating with countries in the region on climate change. So I think this year is an opportunity to create a bold five-year partnership between the US and Vietnam that may also involve other partners, to really boost Vietnam’s ability to adapt to climate change and to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The main focus of the collaboration will remain unchanged, targeting the promotion of energy efficiency, green growth, clean energy, and climate-smart agriculture and forestry.