National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ addressed the Việt Nam-Hungary legislative conference in Budapest on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

BUDAPEST — Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Vương Đình Huệ and his Hungarian counterpart László Kövér co-chaired a legislative conference in Budapest on Monday, with a focus on the legal framework on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, renewable energy, and the green economy.

In his remarks, Kövér said Hungary was always determined to protect the environment, which is clearly reflected in its development orientations and legal regulations. Its climate policy was adapted to the European Union (EU)’s requirements but didn’t neglect its own features and its people’s interests.

Hungary was one of the first countries to issue legal mechanisms for realising the goals of reducing 40 per cent of GHG emissions by 1990 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Its law on environmental protection includes mechanisms for ensuring costs of carbon neutrality will not slow down the country’s development process, according to the Hungarian leader.

Huệ, who is on an official visit to Hungary, noted that, at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), Việt Nam pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, which is a very strong political commitment that shows its resolve to cope with climate change, reduce GHG emissions, and transit to a green and circular economy, and also demonstrates the country’s activeness and sense of responsibility towards the international community’s common efforts to protect the earth.

Việt Nam would continue acting swiftly, strongly, and comprehensively with a focus on transitioning to green and sustainable energy and developing climate adaptive infrastructure. It considered this as a chance to promote a green, circular, low carbon, and sustainable development model, he said.

Huệ added that aside from its own efforts and resources, Việt Nam also wished to receive close cooperation from international partners, including Hungary. Its parliament hoped to learn from other countries’ experience in making and perfecting laws and policies on GHG emission reduction, renewable energy development, and a green and circular economy with sustainable development.

The Vietnamese leader also called on Hungary to share experience in taking measures for concurrently realising commitments and ensuring benefits for the economy and people.

The top legislator of Việt Nam shared Kövér and other officials’ viewpoint that sustainable development is not an issue of a single country but a global issue requiring close cooperation among nations.

Opinions raised at the legislative conference, the fourth of its kind held by the two parliaments, gave important policy recommendations to each country and also proved that this was an effective cooperation mechanism between the two NAs, he added.

Huệ expressed his belief that with the newly signed agreement, the NAs of Việt Nam and Hungary would have much room and many opportunities for boosting relations. — VNS