In an effort to protect and restore blue carbon systems, Vietnam has collaborated with the World Economic Forum to establish the National Blue Carbon Action Partnership (NBCAP Vietnam). This multi-stakeholder platform will coordinate national efforts and connect with the Global Blue Carbon Action Partnership.
NBCAP Vietnam will build a coordination platform to further develop blue carbon systems, contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood improvement for local communities. Through this platform, Vietnam will establish a national blue carbon database, a roadmap for blue carbon emission reduction, and a financial roadmap involving policymakers, investors, and other stakeholders.
With NBCAP Vietnam, pilot projects will be developed and implemented, mobilizing more financial resources for blue carbon, enhancing blue carbon capacity, and coordinating local blue carbon actions with global initiatives.
Vietnam currently possesses approximately 200,000 ha of mangroves, offering significant blue carbon potential. Initial calculations indicate that blue carbon will contribute about 3 million tons of CO2 to the emission reduction targets in Vietnam's upcoming Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2035.
This information was recently shared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment's Department of Climate Change at the side event of the COP 30 Conference titled “Harmonizing Policy and Finance for Blue Carbon Solutions.”
Blue carbon ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses, and coastal wetlands, play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing the resilience of coastal communities against the impacts of climate change.
With a coastline stretching over 3,200 km from North to South, Vietnam currently has about 200,000 ha of mangroves, providing significant blue carbon potential. Beyond their carbon storage capabilities, coastal ecosystems boast rich biodiversity and provide vital protection against storms, reducing property damage and preventing coastal erosion.
Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Department of Climate Change, stated that Vietnam has cooperated with international organizations to assess the potential of blue carbon systems. However, to date, these collaborations have only preliminarily calculated the potential of mangroves; further research and inventory regarding salt marshes and seagrasses still need to be conducted.
According to initial calculations, blue carbon is expected to contribute approximately 3 million tons of CO2 to Vietnam’s emission reduction targets under the upcoming NDC by 2035. Consequently, blue carbon projects are increasingly attracting interest from the community and the private sector.
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