Chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Phan Văn Mãi (right) had talks with Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) and Executive Secretary of its Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Phan Văn Mãi hosted a reception on Wednesday for visiting Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) and Executive Secretary of its Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.

Mãi said the city is currently paying attention to digital transformation, green energy, and the settlement of challenges on urban management, climate change response, and energy transition.

Therefore, it hopes to receive recommendations on these issues from the ESCAP, especially in building a legal framework and institutions for energy transition and how to calculate Carbon credits.

He asked the guest to recommend credit sources for the city to implement a clean energy development plan, build its metro system, and renovate its waterway system.

The city leader also took the occasion to invite Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana to attend and address the 2023 HCM City Economic Forum with the theme of green growth and sustainable development.

According to Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the ESCAP has implemented a number of programmes and activities, and held international discussions and seminars on climate change response and sustainable development, and HCM City can attend and learn from experiences and lessons of cities in the Asia-Pacific region.

She said that the city’s efforts to shift to renewables and strive for 30 per cent of green energy by 2030 need huge investments in infrastructure and technology.

ESCAP expects the city to participate in its 8th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum to be held in the Republic of Korea to discuss investment issues in the fields of environmental protection, digital transformation, green energy, and urban development, she said, suggesting the city consider hosting the forum in the coming years. — VNS