Illustrative Photo

The event was held in collaboration with Vung Tau People’s Committee, Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA), Alliance to End Plastic Waste, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Vietnam, Norwegian Siam Cement Group (SCG), TOMRA AS, and Norwegian Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research (SINTEF).

The event spotlighted the attendance of Norwegian Deputy Head of Mission, Mr Jan Wilhelm Grythe, ADB Vietnam Country Director Mr Andrew Jeffries, VEA Deputy Director General Mr Nguyen Hung Thinh. The webinar also welcomed the participation, online and physical, of the event’s partners, keynote speakers including UNDP Vietnam, and over 100 people representing international donors, foreign missions in Vietnam, relevant departments of MONRE and VEA, local and international institutes, NGOs, universities, and the business community, who are active in supporting and promoting a circular economy in Vietnam.

Speakers at the Webinar shared their insights and experiences concerning holistic solid waste management and climate change; importance of government and local collaboration to reach circular economy and net zero emission goals; how to catalyze collective actions and investments in circular economy, and holistic resource system and solutions for optimized waste management towards circularity and carbon neutrality.

In COP26, Vietnam signed a Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a bold commitment that Viet Nam targets at a net zero goal by 2050. This shows Vietnam’s strong political will to make a significant contribution to keeping 1.5 degrees within reach, and stop catastrophic global warming as aimed in the Paris Agreement. Indeed, this is the right time to mainstream a circular economy for plastics to use resources wisely, reduce emissions efficiently, and restore the environment. Prime Minister Chinh also emphasized the need for international support and cooperation to help Vietnam reach this goal.

At the event, all the stakeholders including Norway, international donors, academia and the private sector showed their commitment to supporting the Government of Vietnam in building a successful circular economy for plastics, and thus helping Vietnam to fulfil its environmental commitments and to ensure a sustainable and greener economic growth.