Quyết định 2139/QD-TTg

DECISION

APPROVING THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;

At the. proposal of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment,

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the national strategy for climate change enclosed with this Decision.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, other ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies and chairpersons of provincial-level People's Committees shall implement this Decision.-

NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

(Promulgated together with the Prime Minister's Decision No. 2139/QD-TTg of December 5, 2011)

I. CLIMATE CHANGE - CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

1. Challenges

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing humankind. Climate change will seriously affect production, life and environment worldwide. Temperature rise and sea level rise may cause inundation and saltwater intrusion, which will harm agriculture and pose risks to industries and socio-economic systems in the future. Climate change has created and will create comprehensive and profound changes to global development processes and security, such as energy, water, food, society, employment, diplomacy, culture, economy and trade.

According to the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), increases in the global average temperature and sea level have been observed in the last 100 years, particularly in the past 25 years. In Vietnam, the average temperature over the past 50 years has risen about 0.5-0.7°C, and sea level has risen about 20 cm. El Nino and La Nina events have caused stronger and stronger effects. Climate change has truly made natural disasters, particularly typhoons, floods and droughts more severe.

Vietnam is assessed as one of the countries most affected by climate change, with the Mekong River delta being one of three most vulnerable deltas in the world, alongside the Nile (Egypt) and the Ganges (Bangladesh). Vietnam's climate change scenarios show that, by the end of the 21st century, the country's annual average temperature will rise about 2-3°C; total annual rainfall and rainy season rainfall will increase, while the dry season rainfall will decrease; sea level will rise 75 cm to one meter compared to the 1980-1999 level. With one meter of sea level rise, about 40% of the Mekong River delta, 11 % of the Red River delta, and 3% of other coastal regions will be submerged, with over 20% of the Ho Chi Minh City area under water, 10-12% of the population to be directly affected, and economic damages to cost about 10% of GDP. Consequences of climate change in Vietnam are very severe and present explicit threats to the hunger eradication and poverty reduction goals and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development of the country.

Over recent years, under the impact of climate change, natural disasters have increased in terms of frequency and intensity, causing great casualties and asset losses, economic, cultural and social infrastructure destruction, and adverse environmental impacts. In the last ten years (2001-2010), damage caused by disasters like typhoon, flood, flash flood, landslide, inundation, drought and saltwater intrusion and others has been significant: more than 9,500 dead and missing people and an asset loss of about 1.5% of GDP each year.

Climate change is imposing a serious threat on food security and agricultural development: agricultural land, especially in low-lying coastal plains, the Red River and Mekong River deltas, will considerably shrink due to increased salinity caused by sea level rise; crop growth, productivity and growing seasons will be altered, risks of crop pest infection will be higher; time for tropical crops to adapt will be lengthened and for sub-tropical crops will be reduced; cattle and poultry reproduction and growth will be affected, while their disease and epidemic risks will be increased.

Under climate change impacts, water resources will be at risk of decrease due to increasing drought in some areas and seasons, directly affecting agriculture and water supply in rural and urban areas, and hydropower generation. Changes in rainfall patterns can result in severe flood in the rainy season and exacerbated drought in the dry season, inducing more conflict in water resource exploitation and use.

Aiming to become a modernity-orientated industrial country by 2020, Vietnam will strongly increase energy production and consumption activities, especially in industry, transportation and urban development, which will result in higher emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). This will go against the global trend, which demands every country, developed or developing, to reduce GHG emission to protect the earth's climate system. In the meantime, renewable and new energies are low-carbon, but capital-intensive and expensive.

On a global scale, GHG emission reduction policies are gradually taking shape, which may create new trading barriers. Without suitable national policies that conform and harmonize with those of the world, developing countries like Vietnam cannot overcome these barriers due to limited financial resources and lack of technologies to manufacture goods eligible to enter the low-carbon market.

Public awareness about climate change remains limited and one-sided, with too much attention paid to the adverse impacts of climate change and too little to changing ways of life and production and consumption patterns toward low-carbon and green growth.

These challenges demand Vietnam to make greater efforts in policies and measures to raise climate change response awareness and capacity in parallel with economic development to enhance its economic competitiveness and international status.

2. Opportunities

At present, the prevailing development model of developing countries is to rely on exploiting natural resources and taking advantage of cheap labor, causing environmental pollution, which in turn results in unsustainable development. Climate change creates opportunities for us to change development thinking and find models and methods of sustainable low-carbon growth.

Since Vietnam has become a middle-income country, international support for the country's development in general will gradually decrease and cooperation will be carried out on a mutual benefit basis. Climate change will open doors to promoting global multilateral and bilateral cooperation, through which developing countries like Vietnam can gain access to new financial assistance and technology transfer mechanisms from developed countries.

Promoting cooperation and integration with other countries and international organizations through the course of implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will enhance Vietnam's role and status in the region and the world.

Clearly aware of the serious impacts of climate change on the country's sustainable development, the Government of Vietnam early joined and ratified the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, while directing the completion of its legal documents to create a legal framework for disaster prevention, control and mitigation and climate change response. In December 2008, the national target program to respond to climate change was approved, marking an important effort of the Government supported by international donors to respond to climate change in Vietnam. With the due attention of the Party and the Government, initial results of climate change response efforts have been acknowledged internationally. For effective climate change response and sustainable national development, a national climate change strategy with a century-long vision to form a basis for other strategies and master plans and plans is essential to our country in the current context.

II. STRATEGIC VIEWPOINTS

- Climate change is the most serious challenge to the whole humankind, which deeply affects and comprehensively changes the social life worldwide. As one of the most vulnerable countries, Vietnam considers climate change response a vital issue.

- Vietnam's climate change response must be associated with sustainable development toward a low-carbon economy, making use of opportunities to change development thinking and increase national competitiveness and might.

- Climate change adaptation and GHG emission reduction must be carried out simultaneously for effective climate change response, with adaptation as a focus in the initial phase.

- Responding to climate change is the responsibility of the whole system; to enhance the management role of the State, increase the dynamism, creativity and responsibility of the business sector, and bring into the fullest play the involvement and monitoring by socio political organizations, professional associations and communities; to promote internal resources while effectively taking advantage of international cooperation mechanisms.

- Solutions to responding to climate change must be systematic, synchronous, multi-disciplinary, inter-regional, focused, appropriate to each period and compliant with international regulations, based on scientific grounds in combination with traditional experience and local knowledge; taking into account social-economic benefits and climate change risks and uncertainties.

- The strategy has a trans-century vision and is the foundation for other strategies.

III. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

1. Overall objectives

To bring into play national capacity; carry out simultaneously measures of climate change adaptation and GHG emission reduction to assure safety for people and properties for the sustainable development goals.

To strengthen human and natural system resilience to climate change, develop a low-carbon economy to protect and enhance quality of life, ensure national security and sustainable development in the context of global climate change, and actively join the international community to protect the earth's climate system.

2. Specific objectives

- To assure food security, energy security, water source security, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, gender equality, social security, community health, improve living standards and protect natural resources in the context of climate change.

- A low-carbon economy and green growth will become a primary trend in sustainable development; GHG emission reduction and absorptability increase will gradually become a mandatory indicator in socio-economic development.

- To raise climate change awareness, responsibility and response capacity of stakeholders; to develop scientific and technological potential and human resource quality; to perfect institutions and policies, and develop and effectively use financial resources, contributing to enhancing the economic competitiveness and status of Vietnam; to take advantage of climate change opportunities for socio-economic development; to develop and widely multiply climate system-friendly ways of life and consumption patterns.

- To actively join international communities in responding to climate change; to increase Vietnam's international cooperation for effective climate change response.

IV. STRATEGIC TASKS

1. Proactive disaster response and climate monitoring

a/ Early warning

- To develop and operate an effective climate change and sea level rise monitoring network to serve flood, disaster risk and climate mapping corresponding to climate change and sea level rise scenarios, in association with the GIS and remote sensing network to serve central and local policy making activities. By 2015, to complete the establishment of the climate change and sea level rise monitoring system;

- To modernize the hydrometeorological observation network and forecasting technology to guarantee the forecast and early warning of weather and climate extremes. By 2020, to have a hydrometeorological observation network with a station density equivalent to that of developed countries and over 90% of automatic stations; to strengthen the telemetric system to ensure continuous monitoring of weather, climate and water resource developments to provide sufficient data for hydrometeorological forecasting by advanced methods and other demands. To increase the typhoon and cold front forecasting range up to three days with accuracy on par with the level of advanced Asian countries to mitigate human and asset losses due to climate extremes. By 2050, to have a hydrometeorological observation and forecasting and climate extreme warning system of advanced international level;

- To expand and strengthen the hydrometeorological observation and monitoring system with the broad involvement of domestic and foreign organizations and individuals on the basis of uniform management of hydrometeorological expertise and data.

b/ Reduction of damage due to disaster risks

- To review and formulate development master plans and construction regulations in disaster-prone areas, taking into account increasing disaster incidents due to climate change; to reinforce and build key and imperative disaster prevention and control structures;

- To promote the "4 on-the-spots" practice at the same time with strengthening and building capacity for professional search and rescue teams, which will be the core in the close coordination and collaboration between search and rescue forces for proactive response in case of emergencies;

- To study and implement specific measures for effective prevention and control of disasters, flash flood and landslide in mountainous areas, with long-term effective maintenance and operation;

- To enhance forest quality, plant forests, cover barren land with trees, and assure the efficient use of forests of all types to retain and enhance forest functions against natural disasters, desertification, erosion and soil degradation; to further protect, manage and develop mangroves and wetland ecosystems; by 2020, to increase forest coverage to 45%.

2. Food and water resource security assurance a/ Food security

- To maintain reasonable and sustainable agricultural land areas in each region and locality to ensure food security in the context of climate change;

- To study and adjust crop and livestock structures to suit the changing climate, sea-level rise and regional or local ecological charac-teristics, and take advantage of opportunities for sustainable agricultural development;

- To research, develop and apply biotechno­logy and advanced production processes toward a modem agriculture adaptive to climate change;

- To develop and perfect a pest and disease control system for crops and livestock in the context of climate change. By 2020, to basically complete the system, with further improvements in subsequent periods;

- To formulate mechanisms and policies to strengthen the insurance and risk-sharing system in agriculture.

b/ Water resource security

- To build a database on water resource development and use in relation to climate change, and further investigate, study, evaluate, forecast and observe water quality and volume in water resource exploitation and use;

- To promote international cooperation in research, evaluation and control of water quality and volume and trans-boundary water benefit sharing;

- To formulate integrated water resource master plans in regions and major river basins, including: Bang Giang - Ky Cung, Red, Ma -Ca, Central Central Vietnam, Southern Central Vietnam, Sesan - Srepok, Dong Nai - Sai Gon and Mekong;

- To establish and complete norms and regulations on efficient, integrated, multi­purpose exploitation and use of water resources adaptive to climate change and sea level rise;

- To renovate, upgrade, reinforce and construct irrigation works, hydropower plants and river and coastal dyke systems to effectively respond to floods, droughts, sea level rise and saltwater intrusion in the context of climate change;

- To improve the integrated management procedures and strengthen facilities for scientific exploitation, protection and use of water resources in the context of climate change by 2050;

- To build water resource management capacity; to further plan and carry out synchronous measures for sustainable development of national water resources in the context of climate change, which will be basically completed by 2020 and further improved in the subsequent periods.

3. Suitable proactive response to sea level rise in vulnerable areas

- To research, evaluate and predict impacts of and vulnerability to sea level rise in different sectors, areas and communities;

- To formulate socio-economic development master plans in response to climate change, especially increase in flood, inundation, saltwater intrusion, drought, land loss and environmental degradation, for key and highly sensitive regions and areas, including the Mekong River delta, Red River delta, central coast, and marine biodiversity reserves;

- To protect and develop island areas to respond to climate change, especially sea level rise;

- To develop infrastructure facilities and zone off residential areas to respond to climate change; to consolidate and improve important sea and river dyke sections for minimum protection against typhoons of scale 9 and tidal frequency of 5%; to prevent saltwater intrusion in the most affected areas; to protect major cities and urban centers, residential areas and industrial parks from inundation; to attach importance to developing large-scale multipurpose structures, water reservoirs, buffer zones and green belts;

- To review, adjust and develop appropriate livelihoods and production processes in the context of climate change and sea level rise.

4. Protection and sustainable development of forests, increase of GHG absoplion and biodiversity conservation

- To accelerate the progress of forestation and reforestation projects, encourage enterprises to invest in economic forestation. By 2020, to establish, manage, protect, and sustainably develop and use 16.24 million hectares of planned forest land; to increase forest coverage to 45%; to sustainably and effectively manage 8.132 million hectares of production forest, 5.842 million hectares of protection forest and 2.271 million hectares of special-use forest;

- To conserve biodiversity, attach importance to protecting and developing ecosystems, varieties and species resilient to climate change; to protect and conserve the gene pools and varie­ties and species endangered by climate change;

- To develop and implement GHG emission reduction programs through efforts to restrict deforestation and forest degradation, sustainably manage forests and retain and increase the carbon absorptability of forests in combination with maintaining and diversifying local livelihoods adaptive to climate change;

- To develop and implement programs on protection and sustainable management of existing natural, protection, special-use and production forest areas;

- To build and apply models of green urban and residential areas;

- To develop and widely implement policies to involve all social and economic entities in the conservation and sustainable development of forests and natural ecosystems to effectively respond to climate change and increase the carbon absorptability of forests and ecosystems;

- To build capacity and increase effectiveness of the evaluation, forecast, prevention and fight and monitoring and emergency response to forest fires.

5. GHG emission reduction to protect the earth's climate system

a/ Development of new and renewable energies

- To review the planning of and rationally develop multipurpose hydropower; by 2020, total capacity of hydropower plants will reach 20,000-22,000 MW;

- To step up research and development of technologies to generate renewable and new energies, including wind, solar, tide, geothermal, bio and cosmic energies; to formulate and widely implement policies to involve various social and economic entities in the promotion of renewable energy use;

- To assure national energy security in the direction of coordinated development of all energy sources; to increase the share of new and renewable energies to about 5% of the total commercial primary energies by 2020 and about 11% by 2050.

b/ Energy conservation and efficiency

- To restructure the economy toward reducing energy-intensive industries; to increase incentives for industries with low energy consumption;

- To develop and implement policies to support, encourage and motivate energy efficiency in all economic sectors, especially transportation, urban development, industry and agriculture; to review and gradually eliminate low-efficiency, energy-intensive and GHG emission technologies. By 2015, to complete the review and formulate an elimination roadmap;

- To research, develop and apply energy-efficient, fossil fuel-free and low-emission technologies, equipment and products, especially in transportation, urban development, industry and agriculture;

- To study and develop an appropriate energy pricing system for energy conservation and efficiency and encourage development of new and renewable energies. By 2015, to introduce a new energy pricing system;

- To apply advanced technologies to increasing electricity generation efficiency and reduce GHG emission in all new thermal power plants; to establish small-scale electricity generation systems using methane recovered from landfills and other sources; to recover gas and make use of excessive heat from manufacturing factories to produce power, and bum solid waste to produce electricity;

- To increase energy efficiency and conservation; to monitor the energy consumption of energy-intensive industries; to apply energy efficiency standards and labeling systems for products.

Industrial production and construction:

- To study and apply new low-GHG emission technologies to industrial production; to strongly replace fossil fuels by other low-carbon emission fuels; to extensively apply cleaner production; by 2020, to have 90% of industrial facilities using cleaner production technologies and reducing consumption of energy, fuel and materials;

- To further research and apply high technologies in the key industries; by 2020, to raise the production value of industries using high technologies, ensuring added value to reach 42-45% of the total industrial production value; to promote renovation toward high technologies; by 2020, to have 20% of new high technologies and equipment. By 2050, to increase the production value of industries using high technologies to over 80%;

- To develop and enforce standards and technical regulations and equipment of energy efficiency in material production and construction works.

Transportation:

- To plan the transportation system and raise its quality up to international standards; to develop urban public transportation, and control the increase of private vehicles. By 2020, the transport system will basically meet diverse societal needs. By 2050, to complete the modernization of the domestic transportation network as well as international transportation routes;

- To use low-GHS emission fuels for transportation; to accelerate the switch to use of compressed natural gas and liquefied gas in buses and taxis to reach the target of 20% of buses and taxis by 2020, and 80% by 2050;

- To develop and implement policies and mechanisms to encourage the use of energy-saving transportation modes and gradually eliminate high-energy consumption vehicles.

c/ Agriculture

To alter agricultural practices, use water, fertilizers and feeds appropriately, manage and treat waste from animal raising, develop the use of biogas as a fuel, restrict and eventually eliminate obsolete high-energy-consumption agricultural machines. To step up green and low-emission agricultural production, ensuring sustainable development and national food security and contributing to hunger eradication and poverty reduction. After every 10 years, to reduce 20% of GHG emissions, while securing the sector's growth at 20% and lowering the poverty rate by 20%;

d/ Waste management

- To formulate solid waste management master plans, build management capacity, reduce waste and reuse and recycle waste to reduce GHG emissions;

- To promote research and application of advanced waste treatment technologies; to apply modern waste treatment technologies in urban centers and rural areas; to build capacity of management, treatment and recycling of industrial and household wastewater; by 2020, 90% of urban household solid waste will be collected and treated, of which 85% will be recycled, reused and recovered for energy generation.

6. Increasing the decisive role of the State in climate change response

a/ Adjusting, and integrating climate change issues into, strategies, master plans and plans

- To review and adjust socio-economic development strategies, master plans and plans of ministries, sectors and localities on the scientific and economic efficiency basis, taking into account risks and uncertainties of climate change and sea level rise. By 2015 to promulgate the adjusted socio-economic development strategies, master plans and plans of ministries, sectors and localities;

- To integrate climate change issues into regional and local socio-economic development master plans and plans; to amend, supplement and complete the set of standards and technical regulations for work and infrastructure designs based on climate change scenarios. To take step-by-step actions to complete the stable establishment of sustainable economic zones resilient to climate change by 2030.

b/ Improving and strengthening institutions

- To establish the National Climate Change Committee (NCCP), which functions as an advisory body to assist the Prime Minister in studying and proposing strategic directions and solutions; mobilizing, coordinating and monitoring resources to implement climate change response strategies and programs;

- To study and formulate synchronous policies, mechanisms and laws on climate change which are suitable for each development period of the country, in line with the global policies and treaties on climate change to which Vietnam is a contracting party;

- To increase the engagement of the whole political system in the inter-disciplinary direction and coordination to respond to climate change; to improve the effect and effectiveness of the central and local management of climate change issues;

- To study to perfect the functions, tasks, organizational structure and human resources for effectively climate change response and international integration;

- To develop and operate the monitoring, reporting and evaluation system in national and international GHG emission reduction activities;

- To develop synchronous mechanisms and policies to encourage and engage enterprises and scientists into climate change adaptation and GHG emission reduction activities;

- To establish mechanisms to support communities and encourage non-governmental organizations to participate in climate change adaptation and GHG emission activities.

7. Building of communities to effectively respond to climate change

a/ Communities responding to climate change

- To build community capacity and increase community involvement in climate change response activities, to attach importance to local response experience and the role of local authorities and grassroots mass organizations;

- To develop and diversify regional and local livelihoods for supporting climate change adaptation suitable to different levels of vulnerability;

- To pilot and promote community models with low-carbon livelihoods; to encourage change of behaviors and ways of life to be climate-friendly for GHG emission reduction;

- To promote the use of local knowledge in responding to climate change, especially in developing new low-carbon livelihoods.

b/ Improving the community healthcare system to effectively respond to climate change

- To renovate, upgrade and build infrastructure facilities, modernize equipment and build human resource capacity for the health sector from the central to local levels and strengthen control of epidemics and new diseases to raise quality of healthcare services in the context of climate change. To ensure that everyone will have access to basic healthcare services by 2020 and to adequate healthcare by 2030;

- To develop and implement the system of community healthcare policies in the context of climate change, ensure the access to healthcare services of vulnerable groups: women, children, the elderly, the poor, ethnic minority people...

c/ Raising awareness, intensifying education and training

- To raise awareness and responsibilities of cadres, civil servants and public employees and other members of the society regarding climate change issues;

- To develop suitable approaches to accessing and using climate change information for different members of the society; to diversify forms of disseminating information on the impacts, risks and opportunities of climate change, especially among people and in key areas;

- To introduce basic climate change knowledge into educational programs and levels; to develop and adopt policies to train quality human resources in the fields relevant to climate change adaptation and GHG emission reduction;

- To raise awareness and responsibilities of individuals and responsibilities of communities in the prevention and overcoming of disaster consequences; to build up climate-friendly ways of life and consumption patterns for all community members; to encourage and widely multiply good exemplary practices in climate change response.

8. Development of advanced sciences and technologies for climate change response

- To develop sciences of management, evaluation, monitoring and forecast of climate change impacts on socio-economic develop­ment, healthcare, production and consumption;

- To increase survey and basic scientific research and application of technologies adaptive to climate change and GHG emission reduction;

- To step up research and encourage techno­logy transfer and effective application of scientific achievements and modem techno­logies, new fuels and materials in GHG emission reduction and climate change adaptation, increase the competitiveness of key economic sectors and industries toward developing a low-carbon and green-growth economy.

9. Promotion of international cooperation and integration to enhance the country's status in climate change issues

- To strengthen cooperation with other countries and international organizations in the implementation of the UNFCCC and relevant treaties; to make active, proactive and creative contributions to the elaboration of multilateral and bilateral agreements and treaties on climate change;

- To review and supplement the legal system, policies and mechanisms to conform with inter­national laws, agreements and treaties on climate change to which Vietnam is a contracting party;

- To increase foreign-service information on climate change, focus on cooperation in monitoring and sharing information on trans-boundary issues to ensure mutual benefits of countries.

10. Diversification of financial resources and effective concentrated investment

- To increase investment from the state budget and further mobilize international financial support; to study, develop and apply financial mechanisms and institutions that are in line with international climate change policies to mobilize and use effectively bilateral and multilateral financial sources for active response to climate change impacts;

- To actively participate in international programs on GHG emission reduction to make use of the financial and technological assistance and capacity building support to carry out GHG emission reduction programs;

- To increase the management and coordination in using domestic and international financial resources for climate change response in a focused and effective manner, prioritizing urgent and non-delayable projects;

- To encourage and mobilize domestic and foreign organizations, individuals and enterprises to provide financial assistance to and make financial investment in climate change response.

V. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Strategy implementation phases

In the context of increasing climate change impacts on our country and more and more complex international climate negotiations, the strategy implementation will be divided into the following periods:

- From now to 2012: Imperative, non-delayable adaptation activities must be carried out. While the process of international negotiations on GHG emission reduction and financial assistance mechanisms among different groups of countries in the world remains complicated, in this period, emphasis should be put on capacity building, science and technology, review, adjustment and supplemen­tation of green growth, climate change adapta­tion and GHG emission reduction mechanisms, policies and strategies in line with the interna­tional situation, which will be clearer after 2012;

- 2013 - 2025: Aiming to be a modernity-oriented industrial country, it is projected that after 2025, Vietnam must pay special attention to GHG emission reduction to protect the earth's climate system. Climate change adaptation and GHG emission reduction must be simultaneously carried out in association with national socio-economic development actives;

- 2026 - 2050: With Vietnam being a modem and industrial country, GHG emission reduction will become a criterion of socio-economic development processes. The strategic tasks will be reviewed, adjusted and supplemented with new development orientations to build and strengthen a low-carbon economy highly resilient and adaptive to climate change impacts.

2. Priority programs for 2011 -2015

Based on the strategy's viewpoints, principles, vision, objectives and its implemen­tation phases, the Government has determined the following priority programs and projects for review, development and implementation:

a/ The national target program to respond to climate change, development of an extended plan for 2016-2025;

b/ The national scientific and technological program on climate change;

c/ The project to modernize forecasting technology and the hydrometeorological observation network by 2020;

d/ The water resources management and climate change adaptation programs for the Mekong River and Red River deltas;

e/ The project on GHG emission inventory and reduction and management of GHG emission reduction activities;

f/ The climate change response program in major cities of Vietnam;

g/ The sea and river dyke up gradation and renovation program under climate change and sea level rise conditions;

h/ The public healthcare system improve­ment program under climate change and sea level rise conditions;

i/ The socio-economic development program in inhabited islands to effectively respond to climate change and sea level rise;

j/ The program to pilot and widely multiply model communities to effectively respond to climate change.

3. Responsibilities of ministries, sectors, localities and related agencies

a/ The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

To act as the standing office of the National Climate Change Committee (NCCP); assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with other ministries, sectors and localities in, managing and implementing the strategy, focusing on the following:

- Developing mechanisms, management policies and guidelines for the strategy implementation;

- Coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance on an annual basis to summarize and review the budget requirements for climate change response activities, and reporting them to the Prime Minister;

- Guiding and assisting other ministries, sectors and localities in developing and implementing the strategy implementation plans;

- Conducting examination and monitoring and periodic evaluations to draw lessons from the strategy implementation;

- Summarizing and reporting on an annual basis to the Prime Minister on the results of the strategy implementation, and proposing solutions to issues beyond its competence;

- Monitoring and evaluating the strategy implementation.

b/ The Ministry of Planning and Investment

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with other ministries, sectors and localities in, developing, and guiding the implementation of, a framework set of guidelines for integrating climate change into socio-economic development strategies, programs, master plans and plans;

- To coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in developing a mechanism for monitoring and evaluation of the strategy implementation;

c/ Other ministries, ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies

To prepare and implement strategy implementation plans and take the initiative in participating in joint activities under the Government's direction;

d/ Provincial-level People's Committees

- To develop and implement local strategy implementation plans;

- To carry out related activities approved in the strategy;

- To proactively mobilize resources and integrate other local programs' relevant activities to accomplish the strategic objectives;

- To periodically report on the strategy implementation progress in their localities according to regulations.

e/ Social organizations, non-governmental organizations and enterprises

Socio-political organizations, socio-professional organizations, mass organizations, non-governmental organizations and enterprises shall proactively participate in climate change response according to their functions and tasks; support and promote community participation in responding to climate change, and promote effective response models and share valuable experience; implement or participate in projects within the strategy and implementation plans of ministries, sectors and localities.-