Secretary-General Welcomes Signing of Just Energy Transition Partnership in Viet Nam as Important Step towards Much-Needed Emissions Reduction, Renewables-Driven Growth

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General congratulates Viet Nam and its international partners for today’s signing of a Just Energy Transition Partnership to accelerate Viet Nam’s shift away from coal and towards just and renewables-driven economic growth.

With today’s agreement, Viet Nam is pioneering a new framework of collaboration to deliver a fair, inclusive energy transition towards renewables.  These Partnerships are a crucial tool to unlock the emissions cuts our world needs in the 2020s.

The Secretary-General has long been advocating for such coalitions of support.  We need all hands on deck to realize an energy transition that is global, sustainable, just, inclusive and equitable.

Today’s announcement is an important step, but there is still a long way to go to bridge the global emissions gap that risks undermining the imperative to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

Looking ahead, the Secretary-General will continue to advocate for a Climate Solidarity Pact in which all countries make an extra effort to reduce emissions this decade in line with the 1.5°C goal.   At the same time, this Pact is crucial to mobilize — together with international financial institutions and the private sector — financial and technical support and technologies needed for large emerging economies to accelerate their renewable energy transitions.

The United Nations stands ready to continue supporting these partnerships and all other cooperative efforts.