That is the affirmation of Mr. Pham Tan Cong - Chairman of VCCI at the Vietnam Sustainable Development Business Forum (VCSF) 2025 with the theme: "Sustainable development in the new era: Turning aspirations into action".

Mr. Pham Tan Cong - Chairman of VCCI emphasized: The forum took place in the heroic and sacred atmosphere of the 80th anniversary of the great national holidays, the entire Party, the entire people, businesses and the entire political system are making every effort and determination to achieve achievements in completing the 5-year socio-economic development plan 2021-2025 and accelerating the breakthrough to enter the Era of the country's rise, turning aspirations into breakthrough, practical and effective actions.

Mr. Pham Tan Cong - Chairman of VCCI delivered the opening speech at the official session of the Vietnam Business Forum for Sustainable Development 2025

According to the Chairman of VCCI, as peacetime soldiers, the Vietnamese business community and entrepreneurs are very honored, proud and always deeply aware of our responsibility and obligation to accompany the nation in developing the economy in a sustainable and inclusive direction for an integrated, powerful and prosperous Vietnam.

Humanity is facing a dual crisis due to climate change, environmental pollution and natural resource depletion. The United Nations estimates show that if we continue to develop with the current model of production and consumption that consumes a lot of natural resources, by 2050 we will need 3 Earths to meet the living needs of humanity.

The United Nations report shows that 40% of the global land area is being degraded, putting about half of the global GDP at risk. Issues of resource security, energy security, environmental security, etc. are becoming major issues for the global economic development prospects. Therefore, this is a historic time to transform the economic model from resource exploitation and consumption to a knowledge-based economy, a green economy, a circular economy, and low emissions.

Green recovery, carbon neutrality, and energy conversion from fossil fuels to renewable energy, along with the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems, have become inevitable trends of the times and are gradually entering the policies and specific actions of countries.

An estimated 90% of global GDP is subject to commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This will be legalized to ensure enforcement obligations. New standards are also gradually taking shape in the direction of linking trade and investment with criteria on carbon emission reduction, labor, and the environment.

The VCCI Chairman emphasized that VCSF has always been highly appreciated by the business community, policy makers and state management agencies.

Enterprises around the world are also adjusting their business strategies to proactively participate in green initiatives. The increasingly strong development of green energy corporations and new forms of linkage between enterprises are contributing to shaping green growth policies in the future.

Mr. Pham Tan Cong said that the Party and the State, with their strategic vision and keen perspective, have identified policies and roadmaps to perfect mechanisms, policies and laws to develop a green economy, low-carbon economy, and circular economy towards the goal of net emissions of "0" as the political commitment at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This is an opportunity for us to restructure the economy, transform the growth model based on knowledge, high-quality human resources, science and technology; developing the country on a “green” path with high income by 2045. That is affirmed by strong commitments in documents, strategies, development plans and agendas of the Party, State and Government leaders in recent years.

Green transformation brings the business community investing in Vietnam intertwined opportunities and challenges. It brings long-term growth to businesses associated with sustainable benefits for the community, culture, society and environment. Not only that, this large playground will bring businesses the opportunity to lead trends such as developing renewable energy, hydrogen, energy storage and new industries; favorable conditions to access financial support, green credit, technology transformation, reduce production costs, increase supply chains to develop production in the direction of “natural taste”, green, sustainable.

"But if we are slow to transform, we will have to face the "green" and "emission reduction" technical barriers that create great challenges in market penetration, which is a great difficulty, especially in the condition that 97% of our enterprises are small and medium-sized." - Chairman of VCCI affirmed.

The requirements and demands for action are vital to human survival and Vietnam's carbon neutrality goals and roadmap have been clearly defined.

Thereby, according to Chairman of VCCI Pham Tan Cong, the business community wishes to have more opportunities to share, exchange, dialogue and open up cooperation opportunities. Therefore, for more than a decade, the Sustainable Development Business Forum has always been an important and anticipated annual event not only for the business community, development partners but also for planners, policy makers and state management agencies.

Over the past 12 years of organization, the Sustainable Development Business Forum has always been an important annual event.

Over the past 12 years of organizing the Forum, the Chairman of VCCI expressed his deep belief that VCSF has always played a role in creating a space for dialogue, dissemination, absorption and implementation of policies, resolutions... into life, building and perfecting institutions to enhance national competitiveness, creating a favorable investment and business environment. At the same time, it reflects the practical life of production and business

of the business community, sharing solutions, initiatives and opening up cooperation opportunities, catching up with new development trends in the world.

"That belief is expressed not only through the important voices of policy-making and implementation agencies, the business community and development partners, but also as a place to light up confidence, strengthen determination and spread the spirit of innovation and creativity for a strong, prosperous and sustainable Vietnam in the new era" - VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong stated.