(VOVworld)- The European Union (EU) is committed to collaborating with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other sponsors to assist Vietnam in climate change adaptation, the Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, Ambassador Bruno Angelet, said at a workshop in Hanoi on Friday. He noted that Vietnam was vulnerable to environmental changes, which could have negative impacts on socio-economic development. Therefore, the EU wants to continue to help the country develop an environmentally friendly society. The union has pledged 400 million EUR (428.72 million USD) in aid, including over 300 million EUR (321.54 million USD) for sustainable energy development projects in rural areas, he said.

Students grow trees at Can Gio protective forest in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)

The Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha hailed the workshop held by the EU delegation and embassies of member countries as a significant event. He said: “Vietnam has prepared the necessary conditions in terms of human and financial resources, and technology but it still needs international support and the participation of all economic sectors. In order to reduce green house gas emissions to 25%, Vietnam needs support from development parteners international organizations and the EU ”.

Ha said it would add extra impetus to push ahead with building the post-2020 global deal on climate change, which will be adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in late November. He said Vietnam has actively built policies to cope with the issue, especially the Party Central Committee’s Resolution on responding to climate change and enhancing management of natural resources and environmental protection in 2013; the national strategy on climate change in 2011; the national strategy on green growth in 2012; and the national target program on climate change resilience.

Vietnam highly valued assistance from foreign partners in the field, particularly those from EU members such as Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and France. The country hopes to receive more financial and technological support from the EU in order to implement policies on climate change adaptation, sustainable development and environmental protection.

The EU and its member nations have assisted Vietnam in socio-economic development since 1990. In the 2007-2013 period, the EU provided nearly 300 million EUR (321.54 million USD) in aid for Vietnam to develop its healthcare, trade and tourism.