The Current Reality of Carbon Emission Reporting in Vietnam
The control of greenhouse gas emissions and the preservation of the ozone layer are mandated by the Government’s Decree 06 from 2022. In 2024, the Prime Minister’s Decision 13 established a list of industries and establishments required to report greenhouse gas emissions and carry out emissions inventories. The ruling stipulates that 2,166 companies must report their greenhouse gas emissions by March 2025 and create measures to cut them, most of whom are in sectors such as steel production, cement production, and thermal power generation.
However, until the end of 2024, only roughly 10% of them are prepared to report, according to Dr. Nguyen Dinh Tho, Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (which is part of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment). Also, he said that the food production system was currently the largest emitting sector in Vietnam, accounting for 33% of emissions from packaging manufacturing, the use of plastic in food packaging, and traditional agricultural agriculture. Then the manufacturing of textiles, transportation, and construction come next.
Vietnam’s 2025 Emissions Challenge: Updating NDCs and Achieving Net-Zero Goals
The year 2025 will be pivotal as countries, including Vietnam, must update their emissions reduction targets for their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Vietnam’s NDCs have evolved, with its latest update in 2022 committing to a 43.5% emissions reduction with international support and 15.85% without.
Dr. Nguyen Dinh Tho highlighted that achieving Vietnam’s Net-zero goals would require a strong focus on high-emission sectors such as food production (33% of emissions), construction, transport, and textile manufacturing. Efforts are underway, including green city and building standards, public transport initiatives, and circular economy plans for textiles.
Associate Professor, Dr Nguyen Dinh Tho, Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment. — Photo of The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
While agricultural carbon absorption projects are in place, they lack the support for technology-based emissions reduction projects. Businesses in Vietnam are also required to reduce emissions by adopting new technologies and clean energy under Decree 06 (2022), which limits the use of carbon credits to offset emissions.
Dr. Tho emphasized the challenges Vietnam faces in meeting its next NDC update in 2025.
Sources:
VietnamNet,. (2024). Only 10 per cent of businesses ready to report carbon emissions.
