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19/09/2016
COP21: The Road from Paris to Vietnam
After the European Union (EU) Climate Diplomacy Day in 2014 and 2015, the EU is dedicating
a whole week to the issue of climate change in 2016. Diplomatic missions from the EU and
its Member States around the world will participate in reaching out to governments,
communities and organisations, calling for renewed impetus and highlighting positive global
action on climate change.
The European Union Ambassadors in Vietnam strongly encourage Vietnam to continue its
efforts to ratify the Paris Agreement. The European Union Ambassadors in Vietnam
furthermore maintain their commitment to share accumulated experience in developing and
implementing ambitious climate policies with Vietnam.
In December 2015, 195 countries gathered in Paris to negotiate a new global climate
agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The result – the first-ever legally binding global climate deal – sets out a global action plan to
put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well
below 2oC. To further underline their determination, countries also agreed to pursue efforts
to limit temperature increase to 1,5oC. Ten months past, the EU and its Member States
remain proud of that historic outcome. However, there is no room for complacency, for the
vision of a global low emissions future to materialise our attention needs to turn to putting
words into action.
Already this year, our partners around the world have shown encouraging signs to maintain
the unprecedented political momentum in support of climate action. More than 180
countries have now signed the Paris Agreement and 26 have completed their domestic
ratification procedures and become Parties to the Agreement.
The EU and its Member States are taking concrete implementation very seriously. We are
moving forward with our ambitious domestic climate policies, with new proposals that will
help us meet our emissions reduction target of at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990' level
and further drive the transition to a low-carbon economy.
However important ratification is towards implementation of the Paris Agreement, it will not
deliver the necessary greenhouse gas reductions, adaptation actions and financing needs on
its own. Quintessential to this agreement are the steps countries will take to meet the
commitments made, starting with the policy and legislative frameworks required to develop
robust national climate plans and international approaches.
The EU has more than two decades of experience in developing and implementing ambitious
climate policies, but we know that many of our partners are doing so for the first time. We
stand ready to share our experience and lessons learned in helping developing and
implementing Vietnam's Plan for Implementation of the Paris Agreement and make the
transition to a low-carbon climate-resilient economy.
As well as developing long-term climate strategies, there are actions governments need to
take now. In just a few months, countries will gather in Marrakech for COP 22 to start adding
the technical detail to the breakthrough political agreement in Paris. Building capacity to act,
addressing loss and damage associated with climate change and setting out a roadmap to
reach climate finance targets are just some of the issues on the table.
But it is not just national governments who need to take action. Provincial and local leaders
are equally essential to enable national ambitions and commitments to be translated in dayto-day practices. The same stands for businesses, research centres and academics, civil
society and individuals who will deliver the action on the ground that will really make a
difference.
Several local initiatives have been exerting their utmost efforts to ensure these political
commitments are translated into practice, from which we highlight Vietnam's first clean
energy commune created through a Local Energy Planning, in Nam Cuong commune in Tien
Hai District of Thai Binh province. This Local Energy Planning ensures that local governments
and communities cooperate in developing a common energy plan that addresses issues
related to energy supply and demand in their area, contributing towards a more sustainable
Vietnam.
Paris was a defining moment in the safeguarding of the planet for future generations. We
must maintain that momentum in the months and years ahead, because we cannot afford
otherwise. There is much to do, and we look forward to continued partnership with
Vietnam.