From May 22-24, 2024, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the People’s Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province organized a workshop to share international experiences on adjusting the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) from implementing green recovery initiatives.
THUA THIEN HUE DEVELOPS GREEN TRANSPORTATION
At the workshop, Mr. Hoang Hai Minh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province, informed that Vietnam had approved the Action Program for Green Transition and Carbon, Methane Emission Reduction in the transport sector. By 2050, Vietnam expects to fully transition to 100% electric road vehicles, a significant step towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.
With a desire to take the lead in developing green transportation, Thua Thien Hue, with the cooperation and support of UNDP, has achieved positive results in the field of green energy transition and reducing carbon and methane emissions from the transport sector.
Several projects are worth mentioning, such as the pilot program “Supporting the provision of preferential loans for individuals to purchase electric vehicles” for local residents; deploying six electric garbage trucks in Hue City piloted by UNDP; researching and testing policies on green delivery for couriers using motorcycles in Hue; and installing four solar panel systems for electric vehicle charging stations.
According to Mr. Minh, in 2023, Hue City received six four-wheel electric garbage trucks sponsored by UNDP. These electric trucks were handed over to the Hue Urban Environment and Public Works Company (HEPCO) to operate and collect garbage within the city. The pilot use of specialized electric garbage trucks in the city is a basis for replication and gradual replacement of manual garbage collection vehicles and internal combustion engine trucks, reducing heavy and hazardous labor in the environmental sector across the entire province.
Implementing the project “Promoting Electric Transport for Green Transport Development in Hue City” by UNDP, the Thua Thien Hue Women’s Union was selected to provide soft loans to individuals to purchase electric bicycles or electric motorbikes. The program has been implemented since 2023, with a loan amount of VND 10 million per household, 0% interest rate, and an 18-month loan term.
In addition to accessing loans, the borrowing households are provided with training on planning production and business strategies, as well as skills in managing and utilizing the borrowed capital towards energy saving and greenhouse gas emission reduction. This helps women develop appropriate production and business plans with their actual capital and limit potential risks. Additionally, they are guided on family financial management and spending, effective use of borrowed capital, and energy-saving and greenhouse gas emission reduction.
After a period of implementation, many union members shared that the loan amount of VND 10 million per person is still insufficient to purchase electric vehicles at market prices. Therefore, the Thua Thien Hue Women’s Union has coordinated with the Provincial Research and Development Institute to seek support policies from enterprises to increase the loan amount to VND 20 million per person and expand the target group to include shippers.
As part of the workshop program, delegates will visit several locations in Hue City, including the International Travel Company Limited Motorcycle Vietnam, which has a fleet of electric vehicles supported by UNDP, and the Hue Urban Environment and Public Works Company to learn about the solar-powered charging station and electric garbage trucks.
The next field trip destinations include the Thua Thien Hue Research and Development Institute and the Shared Bicycle Station to promote environmentally friendly transportation options. The tour concludes at the Gia Long Tomb, where participants will experience the electric car and bicycle system used by tourists to visit the relic site.
GREEN RECOVERY AND ADJUSTMENT INITIATIVES
Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Patrick Haverman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Vietnam, said that to cope with the dual challenges of post-COVID-19 recovery and addressing climate change, adjusting NDCs based on green recovery strategies has become a vital pathway to promote sustainable development. To support this goal, UNDP has initiated a pilot support project for five countries: Benin, Albania, Ecuador, Vietnam, and Jordan.
“The pilot countries of the green recovery project have implemented various initiatives, including policy adjustment, financial policy, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to integrate NDCs into their green recovery efforts.”
Mr. Patrick Haverman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Vietnam.
This initiative focuses on leveraging the NDC update and implementation process to promote efficient, equitable, and sustainable recovery, thereby highlighting the importance of the Paris Agreement and its implementation tools, such as NDCs, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS).
“It is necessary to actively pursue national, regional, and global green recovery and green economy efforts, guided by the SDGs and the Paris Agreement,” emphasized Mr. Patrick Haverman. He also affirmed the importance of strong political commitment from governments and the active engagement of the private sector to achieve a resilient and green economy, thereby utilizing NDCs to ensure national and international resources to consolidate and realize these efforts.
The workshop will put forward proposals to build future programs, integrating lessons learned from the pilot project. Furthermore, the workshop aims to develop international cooperation networks on NDCs and sustainable development.
