Canada-backed initiative boosts climate resilience in Vietnam

November 01, 2025 | 09:00

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A new Canada-backed initiative is taking root in Vietnam to boost forest sustainability and build resilience against climate change.

The 'Carbon for Good' initiative was launched on October 31 in Lai Chau province to enhance climate resilience and promote sustainable forest management across Tuyen Quang, Lai Chau, Son La, and Can Tho. Implemented by CARE, CIFOR, and the University of British Columbia, the project will draw on Canada’s forestry expertise and seek collaboration with Canadian companies, investors, academic institutions, and government agencies.

Canada-backed initiative boosts climate resilience in Vietnam

Running until March 2028, the scheme forms part of Canada’s broader commitment to advancing a high-quality forestry carbon market in Vietnam. It seeks to accelerate climate adaptation and resilience while supporting Vietnam in achieving its national goals for climate action, biodiversity conservation, and inclusive socioeconomic development.

At a time when rising temperatures, biodiversity loss, and deforestation are disrupting livelihoods, the initiative will empower communities and local authorities to lead climate action and forest conservation efforts, while unlocking new opportunities through the emerging carbon market.

Carbon for Good aims to enhance climate governance for nature-positive adaptation and mitigation through the development of a high-quality forestry carbon market, alongside stronger private sector engagement in financing and implementing forest-based carbon projects. It will also place a strong emphasis on community-based forest governance in four biodiverse provinces.

The province of Lai Chau, along with the three participating provinces, is advancing its readiness to participate in the international forest carbon credit market, an important step in realizing the economic potential of forest resources and supporting Vietnam’s national pathway towards net-zero emissions by 2050.

Carbon for Good will support the development of sustainable forest management strategies that both protect local ecosystems and generate financial incentives from carbon credits for stakeholders such as local authorities, private sector actors, and forest owners, once Vietnam’s national carbon market scheme becomes operational.

To ensure market readiness, the scheme will deliver four key outcomes including forest carbon potential assessment, emission reduction feasibility, market-ready data profiles, specialised capacity building.

These outcomes are expected to transform forest assets into sustainable revenue streams, improve local livelihoods, and contribute meaningfully to Vietnam’s climate goals.

“We are combining local knowledge with innovative solutions to tackle climate change while ensuring that local communities, especially ethnic minority women, have their voices heard in decision-making,” said Vuong Thai Nga, programme director of CARE in Vietnam. “Crucially, this initiative will help create lasting economic opportunities for those who need them most.”

A central component of the initiative is collaboration among government agencies, national and Canadian private sector partners, and local communities to ensure that Vietnam’s emerging carbon market is socially inclusive, environmentally sound, and economically viable.

Supported by the government of Canada, the programme has strong potential to draw on Canada’s leading expertise in forestry management, from policy and operations to technology and carbon market development.

It also creates new opportunities for collaboration in areas such as forestry technology and innovation; monitoring, reporting, and verification and digital solutions; carbon project development and investment; sustainable timber and carbon-neutral value chains; carbon finance and certification; landscape restoration; and forest fire prevention.

Over the next three years, the scheme will work closely with local partners and communities to promote sustainable forest management, climate-smart reforestation, and alternative income opportunities. It will strengthen the knowledge and capacity of communities, policymakers, and businesses to engage in carbon offsetting and equitably benefit from the forest carbon market.