Consultation on Decree on greenhouse gas emissions reduction and ozone layer protection

On May 13, Deputy Minister of the Environment Le Cong Thanh chaired a Webinar to collect opinions on the Draft Decree on mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and protection of the ozone layer. The consultation was attended by representatives of Ministries, officials from other public agencies, representatives of international partners, non-governmental organizations, associations, and relevant companies.

The revised Law on Environmental Protection (LEP) was promulgated by the National Assembly on November 17 2020, and will take effect from January 1, 2022. Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh pointed out that the regulations on climate change response in the revised LEP contain many new aspects as compared to the 2014 Law, including complementing provisions on climate change adaptation, and protection of the ozone layer. Among other, it regulates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation activities more in detail, sets the foundation for a domestic carbon market as well as for green finance, following Viet Nam’s socio-economic development conditions, and international commitments. The SIPA project has been supporting the Climate Change Department under MONRE to revise and amend the chapter on climate change. Following a Prime Minister’s Decision, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has presided over and coordinated with relevant agencies to develop a draft of the Government’s Decree regulating greenhouse gas emission mitigation and ozone layer protection.

“The regulations on response to climate change in the 2020 LEP is an important legal basis for implementing GHG emissions reduction measures to achieve the target in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) of Vietnam, serving as a prerequisite for the development of the domestic carbon market; management and elimination of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases controlled under international treaties on ozone layer protection to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory.” emphasized the Deputy Minister.

Among others, the Draft Decree proposes that the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) will guide national efforts on greenhouse gas emission reduction, and the Prime Minister will decide on the according national target, that needs to be updated periodically. Based on this targets, sub-targets will be developed for all sectors according to Viet Nam’s greenhouse gas inventory. Responsible Ministries must develop detailed greenhouse gas emission reduction plans, and implement measures to achieve the sectoral targets.

While the 2020 NDC contains a mitigation target by 2030, the draft Decree determines both targets and a concrete roadmap to reduce emissions by 2025, and for the period from 2026 to 2030. From 2026 onwards, binding emission quota shall be allocated to enterprises in specific sectors, to prepare them for trading on the domestic carbon market that shall be established.

During the Webinar, the delegates and experts discussed the feasibility of the suggested contents and procedures, as well as the responsibilities of ministries, branches and businesses in implementing the new regulations. Also, the aspects of management of the Decree and coordination were discussed, as well as MRV obligations.