Ministry joins efforts in environmental protection

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has joined hands with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), enterprises, notably the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) group, and social organisations in the Earth Hour campaign to raise public aware of environmental protection, an official has said. 

The Earth Hour 2021 campaign, initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) with the theme “Speak up for nature”, will take place in Vietnam on March 27 evening.

Starting as a symbolic “lights out” event in Sydney in 2007, the Earth Hour has become one of the world’s largest grassroots movements for the environment. It has inspired and empowered individuals, communities, businesses, and organisations in 190 countries and territories to take action on climate change and environmental loss.

The Earth Hour was first organised by WWF in Vietnam in 2009. Since 2012, the campaign has been organised annually to bring people together to reduce the impact of climate change and protect the environment.

According to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An, 63 Vietnamese cities and provinces have responded to the campaign, as compared with only six localities more than 10 years ago.

He said the Government has assigned the MoIT to draw up and roll out policies on greenhouse gas emission reduction in industry, energy and trade, so as to realise Vietnam’s commitments to implementing the Paris agreement on climate change.

For industry, the ministry has focused on major solutions regarding energy saving and efficiency, and renewable energy development, the official added.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued the national target programme on energy efficiency with total funding amounting to 4.4 trillion VND (190.41 million USD), An said, noting that the MoIT is carrying out the third stage of the 2019-2030 phase, aiming to cut from 8-10 percent of energy consumption, equivalent to 60-80 million tonnes of oil.

Meanwhile, renewable energy is expected to make up 15-20 percent of the country’s energy output by 2030, and 25-30 percent by 2045, the official continued.

The MoIT is also working to promote high-tech and environmentally friendly industries, instead of energy and labor-intensive ones.  

In the sphere of trade, it has organised a range of programmes to encourage the production and consumption of environmental friendly products, according to the Deputy Minister.
Such activities are expected to contribute to implementing the national target of realising the Paris agreement, he said./.