The conference was jointly held by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in Vietnam and the Climate Action Network Southeast Asia (CANSEA).

Claudia Ehing, Director of the FES’s Regional Climate and Energy project in Asia, said that just energy transition refers not only to environmental impacts but also to economic and social changes necessary to promote energy transition on a global scale, and effectively implement the goals set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change.

This forum is an opportunity for leading experts from governments, businesses, think tanks, the labour movement, and national and international organisations to discuss measures to build a socially inclusive and climate-resilient future in Asia powered by renewable energy; and build partnerships for potential collaborative projects and initiatives in the future.

Dr. Nguyen Trinh Hoang Anh, Director of the Vietnam Initiative for Energy Transition (VIET), stated that Vietnam needs to develop a new long-term energy vision to improve energy access and efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, towards the use of 100 percent of renewable energy.

Anh proposed Vietnam invest in energy reserve capacity and electricity grid, and step up the transition to efficient and renewable energies, especially solar, wind, and biomass.

Vietnam needs to increase the financial transparency and improve techniques of state corporations in the energy sector, Anh said, adding that this will help build trust, enable fairer competition, improve performance, and benefit consumers.