Enhancing corporate responsibility in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Climate change is one of the most serious problems and a major challenge for all of humanity, as greenhouse gas emissions have shown no sign of decreasing in recent years.

Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Kim Anh, Permanent Vice President of the Scientific Council - Center for Quality Certification and Business Development, speaks at the workshop. (Photo: Quang Duy)

On the afternoon of January 30th, the Center for Quality Certification and Business Development (under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations ) organized a training workshop on preparing greenhouse gas emission inventory reports for over 120 businesses in the North.

The workshop was organized with the aim of supporting businesses in achieving emission reduction targets, green transition, and sustainable production, as well as enhancing their role and responsibility in participating in the implementation of greenhouse gas emission reduction according to the roadmap. Simultaneously, it aimed to disseminate and guide businesses on relevant legal regulations and documents concerning greenhouse gas emission inventories; and mechanisms to support the fulfillment of emission reduction obligations through carbon credit trading platforms and carbon credit offsetting mechanisms, which will be piloted from 2025. The goal is to support businesses in achieving their emission reduction targets, green transition, and sustainable production.

Through the workshop, businesses will gain a better understanding of the importance of implementing climate change response activities, and will be guided on methods and procedures for building greenhouse gas inventory reports. The inventory methodology aims to support businesses and production facilities in simplifying the process and shortening the time required to calculate greenhouse gas emissions at their facilities, ensuring compliance with the 2020 Environmental Protection Law.

In particular, businesses listed in Decision No. 01/2022/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on the promulgation of the list of sectors and facilities emitting greenhouse gases must conduct greenhouse gas inventories. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is an irreversible trend, especially if Vietnamese businesses want to compete in the global market.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Kim Anh, Permanent Vice President of the Scientific Council - Center for Quality Certification and Business Development, stated that climate change is one of the most serious issues and a major challenge for all of humanity. The main reason is the lack of a downward trend in greenhouse gas emissions over the past years. If this situation continues to worsen, it will exacerbate global climate change and cause negative impacts on nature and people.

At COP26, Vietnam was one of the countries that declared a net emissions target of "zero" by 2050. Compared to the 2020 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 2020), the updated 2022 NDC (NDC 2022) shows Vietnam increasing its unconditional emission reduction contribution to 2030 from 9% to 15.8% and its conditional contribution from 27% to 43.5% (compared to the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario).

Nâng cao trách nhiệm của doanh nghiệp trong việc giảm thiểu phát thải khí nhà kính

Overview of the conference. (Photo: Quang Duy)

Along with the 2020 Environmental Protection Law, the Government has issued decrees and decisions such as Decree No. 06/2022/ND-CP regulating greenhouse gas emission reduction and ozone layer protection; Decision No. 01/2022/QD-TTg promulgating the list of sectors and facilities emitting greenhouse gases that must conduct greenhouse gas inventories; Circular No. 01/2022/TT-BTNMT detailing the implementation of the Environmental Protection Law on responding to climate change…

According to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Kim Anh, in order to implement the regulations on responding to climate change in the 2020 Environmental Protection Law and the committed goals towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, businesses will have to provide operational data and information for greenhouse gas inventory before March 31, 2023, and by 2024, basic units will have to conduct greenhouse gas inventories; and organize the implementation of greenhouse gas inventories every two years, submitting them to the provincial People's Committee before March 31 from 2025 onwards.

"This initiative aims to fulfill the task of inventorying greenhouse gas emissions for businesses, adapting to climate change, providing solutions for efficient energy use in businesses, and protecting the environment, as approved by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations and the Ministry of Science and Technology. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is an irreversible trend, especially if Vietnamese businesses want to compete in the global market," shared Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Kim Anh.

To implement the regulations on climate change response in the 2020 Environmental Protection Law and the committed goals towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Government has issued decrees and decisions such as Decree No. 06/2022/ND-CP regulating greenhouse gas emission reduction and ozone layer protection; Decision No. 01/2022/QD-TTg promulgating the list of sectors and facilities emitting greenhouse gases that must conduct greenhouse gas inventories; and Circular No. 01/2022/TT-BTNMT detailing the implementation of the Environmental Protection Law on climate change response.

According to regulations, businesses will have to provide operational data and information for greenhouse gas inventory before March 31, 2023, and by 2024, basic units will have to conduct greenhouse gas inventories; periodic greenhouse gas inventories will be conducted every two years and submitted to the provincial People's Committee before March 31 from 2025 onwards. Businesses listed must proactively review and provide information on total energy consumption and operating capacity to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for compilation and reporting to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision on adjusting and updating the list.

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