An electric garbage truck in a pilot waste collection programme funded by the Japanese government and UNDP. — Photo courtesy of UNDP in Việt Nam

THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ — Strong political commitment from governments and active private sector engagement are critical for achieving a green and resilient economy, according to UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Việt Nam Patrick Haverman.

“Green recovery and green economy efforts must be vigorously pursued at national, regional and global levels, guided by the SDGs and the Paris Agreement,” he said while speaking at the South-South Lessons Learned Workshop on Aligning Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with Green Recovery in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế.

In response to the dual challenges of recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing climate change, the alignment of NDCs with green recovery strategies has become a vital pathway for sustainable development.

To support this goal, the UNDP initiated a targeted support project for five pilot countries — Benin, Albania, Ecuador, Việt Nam and Jordan.

The workshop, which takes place from Wednesday to Friday, brings together government officials and UNDP international experts from the five countries as well as other Vietnamese representatives.

It aims to share insights and lessons learned from the pilot countries on integrating NDCs with green recovery initiatives.

Other objectives include identifying best practices and challenges in aligning NDCs with sustainable economic recovery efforts, exploring opportunities for applying the lessons learned in future programming and policy-making, and developing networks for South-South cooperation on NDCs and sustainable development.

The initiative focuses on leveraging the NDC enhancement and implementation process to foster a recovery that is robust, equitable and sustainable, highlighting the importance of the Paris Agreement and its instruments, such as NDCs, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTS).

Experts during a panel discussion at the workshop. — Photo courtesy of UNDP in Việt Nam

The pilot countries have undertaken various initiatives, including policy alignment, financial strategies, capacity building and knowledge sharing to integrate NDCs into their green recovery efforts.

In addition to deep-dive sessions on aligning NDC policy measures with post COVID-19 recovery plans and NDC finance with recovery finance, the workshop also includes sessions on enhancing gender responsiveness and inclusivity in green recovery efforts.

Hoàng Hải Minh, deputy chairman of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province People’s Committee, said: “With the cooperation and support of UNDP, Thừa Thiên-Huế has achieved positive results in green energy conversion, reducing carbon and methane emissions in the transportation sector.

“Some projects include the pilot ‘Support for providing preferential loans for individuals to purchase electric vehicles’ for people in Thừa Thiên-Huế Province; deploying six electric trucks at a pilot waste collection site in Huế City funded by UNDP; researching and testing green transportation policy for shippers delivering goods by motorbike in Huế City; and installing solar panel systems for electric vehicle charging stations.”

Workshop participants are scheduled to visit various sites in Huế City, including Vietnam Motorcycle Ltd., where they will see the electric vehicle fleet supported by UNDP. They will also visit Huế Environment and Urban Works JSC to learn about solar battery stations and electric garbage trucks funded by the Japanese government and UNDP.

Additional stops include the Institute of Development Studies of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province and a shared bicycle station promoting environmentally friendly transport options.

The tour concludes at the Gia Long Mausoleum, where participants will experience the electric vehicle and bicycle systems used for site visits. — VNS