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| Mr. Nguyen Tuan Quang, Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change, delivers a keynote speech at the event. (Photo: baodautu.vn) |
Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Quang, Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change, emphasized the importance of ozone layer protection for the survival and daily activities of humanity worldwide. Vietnam was an early participant in the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol, joining in 1994, and has committed to fulfilling its international environmental protection obligations.
To fulfill these commitments, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has coordinated with relevant ministries, sectors and organizations to improve institutional frameworks, policies and legislation. It has actively implemented measures to phase out ozone-depleting substances, contributing to environmental protection and efforts to mitigate climate change.
According to Mr. Quang, Vietnam has achieved significant results in eliminating ozone-depleting substances. Specifically, the country has completely phased out CFCs, Halons and CTCs; Methyl bromide is only imported for quarantine and fumigation purposes; and HCFCs have been gradually phased out since 2013, with a target for full elimination by 2040.
One major milestone in Vietnam’s journey to protect the ozone layer was its ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol in 2019. Under this amendment, Vietnam committed to freezing HFC consumption and reducing it by 80% by 2045. This effort will help curb global temperature increases, contributing to the goal of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5°C by the end of the century.
The workshop also highlighted Vietnam's impressive achievements in ozone layer protection and greenhouse gas emission reductions. By 2024, Vietnam had eliminated 220 million tons of CO2 equivalent, significantly contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change.
Vietnam has also participated in several international initiatives, such as the Cool Coalition initiated by UNEP and the Global Cooling Pledge, aiming to reduce emissions from cooling activities and cut emissions by at least 68% by 2050 compared to 2022 levels.
A representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment stressed the importance of fulfilling international commitments to ozone layer protection and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. According to the National Plan, the target is to cut by 11.2 million tons CO2 emissions from activities involving the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances by 2045.
The National Plan for Managing and Phasing Out Ozone-Depleting Substances outlines comprehensive solutions, including managing ozone-depleting substances, continuing the phased elimination of CFCs, Halons, HCFCs, HFCs and Methyl bromide according to the established timeline, ensuring no production or consumption of these substances after 2040, and promoting new technologies and sustainable cooling solutions./.