The meeting was attended by representatives from the Vietnam’s Government Office, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and leaders of various departments under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, including the Department of Climate Change, the Department of International Cooperation, the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, and the Vietnam Geological Department.

On November 19, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh held a bilateral meeting with Ms. Rachel Kyte, the United Kingdom's Special Representative on Climate.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh expressed his pleasure in meeting Ms. Rachel Kyte at COP29 and thanked the UK for its bilateral cooperation and support in Vietnam’s efforts to address climate change. He particularly acknowledged the £1 million in emergency aid provided by the UK government following the significant damages caused by Typhoon Yagi in September 2024. This aid greatly contributed to recovery efforts in Vietnam’s northern provinces and flood-affected central regions, exemplifying the strong solidarity and effective cooperation between the two nations.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on environmental and climate change cooperation on October 24, 2024. Both sides will continue developing an implementation plan for the MoU. Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh expressed hope that Ms. Rachel Kyte would help mobilize resources to strengthen cooperation on key areas outlined in the MoU, such as climate change response, biodiversity conservation, carbon market development, environmental protection, and advancing a green economy.

Vietnam seeks to cooperate with the United Kingdom on climate change response

Regarding meteorological and hydrological cooperation, the two sides agreed to sign a new cooperation agreement under the Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership (WCSSP) program for the next phase. The collaboration will focus on researching the impacts of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on tropical cyclones in Vietnam, as well as developing seasonal storm forecasts. High-resolution weather prediction models will also be tested to improve the forecasting of extreme weather events.

Additionally, Vietnam's hydrometeorological agencies will continue using numerical model forecasts from UK climate agencies to analyze dangerous weather phenomena in Vietnam. They will also collaborate on impact-based weather forecasting and early warning systems and participate in WCSSP training programs on hazardous weather and impact forecasting for Southeast Asia.

The Deputy Minister shared that the Vietnamese government has approved the updated National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050. He also called on the UK to advocate strongly for realizing contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund at COP29.

Overview of the bilateral meeting

Ms. Rachel Kyte commended Vietnam's efforts in addressing climate change and emphasized that meteorology and hydrology would remain key areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Concerning the third round of updates to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), the UK plans to release its updated NDC in February 2025 with more ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. These targets will emphasize collaboration with developing countries, including Vietnam.

Deputy Minister Lê Công Thành noted that Vietnam is working on its NDC 3.0, which is expected to be released by the end of 2025. He expressed a desire for UK support and experience-sharing, particularly in implementing the NDC across ministries, sectors, and localities.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on unresolved issues at COP29 to find common ground and push for agreements during the remaining negotiation days.

Ms. Rachel Kyte highlighted the UK’s experience in supporting a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) using various international financial resources. However, she emphasized the need for clearer mechanisms to mobilize private sector funding from JETP participant countries, including Vietnam, to attract both domestic and international investors.

Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh agreed with this perspective and noted that the Vietnamese government is focused on improving the legal framework and developing appropriate regulations to leverage funding from diverse sources.

Moving forward, the focal agencies of both countries will continue discussions to align Vietnam’s climate change response needs with proposed cooperation activities.

Ngoc Huyen (NRE Newspaper)