Vietnam is preparing to present an initiative to establish the Climate Smart and Responsible Agricultural and Forestry Trade Alliance (CSR-AFTA) at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31).

The initiative aims to build green value chains for agricultural and forestry products, promote sustainable trade, and bolster climate change resilience.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), COP31 is scheduled to take place in November 2026 in Turkey.

The initiative is designed to align with international sustainable development commitments and goals, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs), and recommendations from the UN Food Systems Summit.

The CSR-AFTA proposal outlines three central goals: to promote sustainable trade in agricultural and forestry products based on unified standards; to protect farmers' livelihoods by encouraging ecological, circular, and regenerative production models linked to forest conservation and biodiversity; and to mobilize green financial resources to develop sustainable agricultural value chains.

Director General of the MAE's International Cooperation Department, Mr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, emphasized that CSR-AFTA is not a negotiating mechanism nor does it impose new legal obligations on nations. Instead, it is designed as a voluntary, open, and inclusive cooperation platform.

The initiative aims to connect governments, international organizations, the private sector, financial institutions, research institutes, industry associations, and farming communities to promote agricultural and forestry trade that is transparent, climate-smart, and sustainable.

Through this initiative, Vietnam seeks to work with partners to build a framework that benefits all parties, promotes knowledge sharing, mobilizes resources, increases investment, fosters innovation, and provides capacity-building support, particularly for developing nations.

According to the draft proposal, Vietnam will play a coordinating role. It will work with partners to develop a set of criteria for "green" agricultural and forestry origins, promote the exchange of carbon credits, and share expertise in developing sustainable raw material zones.

The initiative is being spearheaded by Vietnam alongside Turkey and Australia—the two co-hosts of COP31. It is expected to draw participation from major international organizations and corporations, including the FAO, WTO, UNDP, WWF, IUCN, CIAT, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo.

The parties involved plan to hold an annual CSR-AFTA High-Level Dialogue on the sidelines of future COP summits to evaluate progress and further drive cooperation.