Achieving and exceeding many goals on climate change response after 10 years of implementing Resolution 24/NQ-TW

After 10 years of implementing Resolution 24-NQ/TW on proactively responding to climate change, strengthening resource management and environmental protection, most of the specific targets on responding to climate change have been achieved, in which the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP exceeded the set target. Resolution 24-NQ/TW was issued on June 3, 2013 at the 7th Conference of the 11th tenure in the context of the country promoting industrialization and modernization, aiming to basically become an industrialized country by 2020. The Resolution has set out major policies on responding to climate change, preventing natural disasters, managing resources and protecting the environment in our country, in which it is determined that responding to climate change must be placed in a global relationship; not only a challenge but also an opportunity to promote the transformation of the growth model towards sustainable development. Immediately after its promulgation, the Resolution was widely deployed from the central to local levels, with the participation of Party committees at all levels, sectors, mass organizations, enterprises and the community. The Government Party Committee, Ministries, sectors, Provincial and Municipal Party Committees have all issued action programs for implementation; most of the Resolution's guidelines and policies have been institutionalized.

People plant trees to protect sea dykes (Photo: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment)

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has coordinated with ministries, branches and localities to disseminate and raise awareness about climate change response, resource management and environmental protection in many practical and effective forms. The Government has approved Resolution No. 08/NQ-CP dated January 23, 2014 promulgating the Government's Action Program to implement Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW; Resolution No. 06/NQ-CP dated January 21, 2021 on the Action Program to continue implementing Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW according to Conclusion No. 56-KL/TW. Ministries, branches and central agencies have issued 98 plans/programs related to the implementation of the Resolution; 63 provinces and cities have had 311 programs/action plans with 9,980 training classes to disseminate the Resolution to 225,848 cadres, civil servants and public employees. Along with that, the Party and State's major viewpoints, policies and orientations on responding to climate change set forth in documents and papers of Party congresses, Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW and resolutions of the Politburo have been institutionalized in the process of developing and promulgating the Law on Environmental Protection, the Law on Hydrometeorology and documents guiding their implementation. In particular, the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and detailed documents guiding its implementation have created a comprehensive and comprehensive legal corridor on climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, ozone layer protection and carbon market development... contributing to promoting the green economic model, low-carbon economy... Reporting at the meeting of the Steering Committee summarizing 10 years of implementing Resolution 24-NQ/TW on the morning of September 13 in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan said that after 10 years of implementing Resolution 24-NQ/TW, economic growth has initially shifted towards a greener direction. The integration of climate change response and environmental protection into development strategies and plans continues to be promoted. Policies and laws on environmental pollution prevention and control are increasingly improved, shifting to proactive control of sources at risk of causing pollution. Forest protection and development have achieved many positive results. The area of ​​terrestrial nature reserves has increased. The capacity to forecast and warn of natural disasters has been raised to the top in the region and is gradually approaching that of advanced countries in Asia. Vietnam has actively participated with the international community in reducing net greenhouse gas emissions and making a fair energy transition. Basic surveys, assessment of potential, reserves, management and exploitation of natural resources have achieved many important, sustainable and more effective results. Renewable energy sources have made great strides. Notably, many of the goals set out in Resolution 24 have been exceeded and achieved, such as: Improving the capacity to forecast and warn of natural disasters; gradually reducing human and property damage caused by natural disasters; reducing greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 8-10% compared to 2010; ensuring land balance for socio-economic development; Maintain and flexibly use 3.8 million hectares of land dedicated to rice cultivation to ensure food security and improve land use efficiency; minimize the export of raw minerals; transform the energy use structure towards increasing the proportion of renewable energy and new energy to over 5% of total primary commercial energy; destroy and treat over 85% of hazardous waste; control safety and handle environmental pollution caused by war consequences...

After 10 years of implementing Resolution 24/NQ-TW, Vietnam has achieved the goal of preserving and flexibly using 3.8 million hectares of land dedicated to rice cultivation to ensure food security.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Resolution 24 has identified many clear viewpoints, goals and tasks for climate change response, strengthening resource management and environmental protection. Therefore, the summary of Resolution 24 is placed in an organic and close relationship with resolutions, strategies and plans in related fields such as Resolution 36-NQ/TW on Vietnam's marine economic development strategy to 2030, vision to 2045, Green growth strategy, National strategy on climate change... In addition, the domestic and international context has been and is emerging a number of new issues on climate change, resource management and environmental protection. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the Party's system of theoretical viewpoints and ideology on climate change, resources and environment continues to be developed and perfected. Therefore, the summary of Resolution 24 also needs to be based on political, scientific and practical foundations according to the viewpoint of developing a circular economy and a green economy as stated in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, with an organic and close connection between the three pillars of sustainable development (economy, society, environment). In the coming time, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the standing agency of the Steering Committee for the summary of 10 years of implementing Resolution 24-NQ/TW, will summarize and evaluate 10 years of implementing Resolution 24-NQ/TW. At the same time, it will propose new viewpoints along with specific goals, tasks and solutions on responding to climate change in the new period.