Vietnam, the world second largest rice exporter, needs greater international help to deal with climate change to ensure global food security, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told the COP15 Copenhagen Climate Change Summit. As a country that will suffer most from climate change, Vietnam introduced its official stand about climate change at the COP15 conference.

PM Dung and leaders of Vietnamese ministries had over 30 bilateral meetings with their counterparts from other nations, most of them affirmed that no matter what the results of the conference are, Vietnam should be considered high priority for receiving support to combat climate change and rising sea levels.

SPEECH BY H.E. NGUYEN TAN DZUNG, PRIME MINISTER OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM AT THE UN CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT IN COPENHAGEN
(Copenhagen, Denmark, 16 December 2009) (full official text) - PDF 2 pages
Madam Chair, Heads of Delegations, Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Government and people of Viet Nam, I would like to convey my warmest greetings to all delegates. The Danish Government and Prime Minister personally should be commended for the contributions to the fight against climate change and for the excellent preparations for this Conference, which is of immense significance.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Viet Nam is among the few countries most heavily affected by climate change, but it is not one of the big greenhouse gas emitters. Our country has a long coastline with many economic zones and population concentrated in the coastal areas. Viet Nams deltas of Red River and Mekong River provide food not only for 86 million people of Viet Nam but also hundreds of millions of people elsewhere, as they produce one fifths of the total volume of exported rice in the world. If the sea level rises 1 meter, 38% of the deltas and coastal area of Viet Nam will be submerged, wreaking havoc on people’s lives, society and food security of Viet Nam and the world. Viet Nam has proactively developed and has been actively implementing the National Target Programme to respond to climate change.
The earth is our common house. Responding to climate change is extremely urgent, which all nations must take the responsibility. Viet Nam welcomes and highly values the important initiatives aimed at protecting the climate system. We hope that at this Conference, consensus will be achieved on new international agreements on response to climate change with the following thrusts:
Firstly, the UN framework Convention on climate change and Kyoto Protocol with amendments and supplements applicable to countries with high emission will continue to serve as the fundamental legal framework for the international community to act against climate change.
Secondly, developed countries must take the lead in making strong commitments and setting out specific targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the mid-term and long-term so that the average temperature rise will not exceed two degree Celsius by the end of this century.
Thirdly, it is incumbent upon developed countries and big greenhouse gas emitters to support developing countries, especially those most severely affected by climate change and sea level rise, through new financial mechanisms, technology transfer and the use of the Adaptation Fund as well as capacity enhancement.
Fourthly, developing nations need to make active contributions to the global efforts through the development and implementation of action plans to respond to climate change on a voluntary basis, ensuring their sustainable development.
Fifthly, the international community needs a new financial institution to effectively coordinate responses to climate change.
Viet Nam is committed to seriously delivering on its responsibility. We appreciate the support and assistance by the international community, which we hope will be continued and increase so that we can effectively respond to climate change and sea level rise.
It is my hope and belief that with the responsibility, efforts and contributions of each and every nation, particularly of developed countries and big greenhouse gas emitters, our historic Conference will be a success. 
Thank you. 

PM Nguên Tân Dung was in Copenhagen, Denmark on December 16-18 2009, to participate in the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) and the 5th meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP5). The Government chief wants to take the occasions to show strong determination of the Vietnamese Government in the fight against climate change. VNA
Biography

30/11 COP15 blog by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung: "Vietnam Responds to Climate Change":  
3 page PDF for print

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Khoi Nguyen holds a press conferance 19/12, right after coming back to Hanoi from Copenhagen (PDF)

 

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