Danish energy leaders welcome Vietnamese alliance

Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Dan Jørgensen

Denmark is a top country in regards to eligible partnerships for P4G funding, with 90 per cent of proposals meeting the criteria. What was your message at the second P4G summit?

There is no doubt that close cooperation between governments, the private sector, and civil society is crucial to the global green transition and our collective action against climate change. From Hanoi to Copenhagen and from Seoul and common ways to catalyse investments, accelerate innovation, and create successful public-private partnerships (PPPs). At the same time, we must do this in the most fair and inclusive way possible for citizens in all corners of the world. This is exactly what P4G is all about and why this summit was crucial as a stepping stone to the COP26 summit in Scotland later this year.

As Vietnam’s economy is experiencing significant growth, so is its demand for energy consumption. The industrial sector, followed by transport, requires the highest growth rate while also consum¬ing the largest amount of energy. What are your views on Vietnam’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions under the Paris Agreement?

I am happy to see that the Vietnamese government is committed to the Paris Agreement and aims to ensure sustainable development in accordance with climate and environment. For example, Vietnam has presented ambitious legislation to promote energy efficiency in the industrial sector, and Denmark has assisted in developing energy effi-ciency action plans for all 63 prov-inces based on Danish and international experiences.

Denmark is also assisting Viet-nam in identifying realistic paths to achieve the national climate and energy goals for 2030 and with a 2050 perspective. There is still great potential to create even greater environmental and climate effects through energy efficiency and renewable energy. Through energy efficiency and lower energy consumption, Vietnam achieves major societal benefits such as less air pollution, improved security of supply, and fewer fuel imports.

What are the possibilities for both countries to boost cooperation in green areas?

The Vietnamese-Danish government partnership started in 2013. Together, our two countries share knowledge and are carrying out efforts on longterm energy planning, integration of renewable energy in the electricity system, and energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

Since 2019, Denmark has also assisted Vietnam in developing a roadmap for offshore wind in close collaboration with the World Bank. I hope that we can expand this co-operation even further within off-shore wind power where Denmark is world leading. Our two countries are both surrounded by the ocean and by using the enormous potential of wind energy at sea to create green electricity, we are able to improve the everyday life of our peopie and fight global climate change.

What strengths does Denmark bring to help Vietnam enterprises?

Denmark aims to be a global green frontrunner that inspires other countries. We are world leading in transforming our energy sector from fossil fuels to renewable energy and have several decades of experience and useful knowhow within energy planning, integration of renewables, offshore wind, and energy efficiency that we are able to share with Vietnamese authorities and companies.

Denmark also has years of experience with PPPs, and we have established 13 climate partnerships with the Danish business community. They have presented more than 400 recommendations for the green transition and we have included many of them in political climate agreements and proposals. Hopefully, Vietnam will be able to do the same.