Vietnam pledges to phase out coal power

By Phan Anh   November 4, 2021 | 06:42 am PT
Vietnam pledges to phase out coal power
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at COP26, Glasgow, Scotland, November 1, 2021. Photo by AFP
Vietnam, among other countries, has pledged to phase out coal-fuelled power generation and stop building new plants, the U.K. announced Wednesday.

Vietnam has joined a 190-strong coalition of countries and organizations at the COP26, including newcomers like Indonesia, Poland and Chile, to announce clear commitments to phase out coal power, the U.K. government said in a press release.

It means Vietnam and other countries would commit to end all investment in new coal power generation, scale up deployment of clean power generation, phase out coal power by the 2040s and make transitions away from coal power that benefit workers and communities.

"Today marks a milestone moment in our global efforts to tackle climate change as nations from all corners of the world unite in Glasgow to declare that coal has no part to play in our future power generation," said the U.K.'s Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

Last month, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed Vietnam would actively develop sustainable energy and work towards reducing coal-fired power.

The country would diversify its energy sources, focusing on developing clean and renewable energy via wind power, solar power, biomass power, waste to energy power, aiming to increase the share of clean energy to at least 20 percent by 2030 and 30 percent by 2045 in its total primary energy supply.

"There will be a specific plan on reducing the use of fossil energy sources and hardly developing new coal-fired power plants."

Chinh is leading a delegation of officials from National Assembly committees and the ministries of defense, foreign affairs, environment, and finance to the COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12.

The event is attended by 30,000 delegates from all over the world, including over 100 national leaders.

COP26 has been widely touted as the "last best chance" for nations to tackle climate change, restore nature and protect future generations.

 
 
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