P4G: Green institutions, technologies kofu fc technologies, human resources crucial for sustainable development

April 16, 2025 - 18:02 Your browser does not support the audio element. Green institutions are the decisive foundation; green technologies, the breakthrough driver; and green human resources, the crucial factor, the Vietnamese top leader said.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and heads of delegations taking part in the P4G Việt Nam on April 16. —VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — The 4th Summit of the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) was held on Wednesday in Hà Nội, with the theme of “Sustainable and People-Centered Green Transition”.

Attending the opening were Vietnamese Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn, along with leaders and representatives from various ministries, sectors, and localities. On the international side, participants included Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali, co-chair of P4G this year, Prime Minister of Laos Sonexay Siphandone, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Neth Savoeun, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, and President of the World Resources Institute Ani Dasgupta.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm addresses the opening ceremony of the P4G Summit in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

In the opening speech, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm stressed that Việt Nam has charted its development path based on principles of sustainability, inclusiveness, and harmony and that rapid development must go hand in hand with sustainability and high quality.

He said: "Development must also be accompanied by increasing international responsibility – contributing ever more to peace, stability, and global development, for the well-being of humankind and a civilised international order grounded in win-win cooperation."

The Vietnamese top leader underscored that Việt Nam is an active, responsible member of nearly all major multilateral mechanisms and initiatives related to green growth and energy transition, including the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP), among others.

Nonetheless, as a developing country undergoing transition, Việt Nam continues to face considerable challenges in mobilising financial resources, acquiring advanced technologies, developing human capital, and enhancing resilience in the face of climate change and global geopolitical volatility, but Việt Nam is committed to translating political commitments into concrete actions, generating momentum for businesses and society to actively engage in green economic development.

In this regard, green institutions are the decisive foundation; green technologies, the breakthrough driver; and green human resources, the crucial factor, the Vietnamese top leader said.

"Việt Nam’s development path is inseparable from the shared trajectory of the global community and human civilisation. We are committed to embedding ourselves in the global flow, harmoniously combining national strength with the power of the times – to forge the strength of Việt Nam in a new era," he said.

He pledged to persist with open-door policies, proactively and positively engaging in international integration in a comprehensive, extensive, and effective manner.

He lauded the significance of the P4G Summit as it underscores Việt Nam's role as a good friend, reliable partner, and responsible member of the international community, as well as reaffirms their strong commitment to sustainable development, energy transition, and our net-zero emissions target by 2050. The summit also contributes to raising awareness of international cooperation and promoting the voice and role of developing nations in green growth and sustainable development.

He is confident that the P4G summit will "generate fresh momentum for strengthened collaboration – between P4G and its partners, between the Global North and South, and between governments and the private sector – to jointly promote green transformation, sustainable development, and green finance."

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính addressed the opening ceremony of the P4G Summit in Hà Nội on April 16. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

In his opening address, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính underscored the significance of the P4G 2025 as a premier global forum promoting public–private partnerships and connecting governments, businesses, and civil society organisations to jointly advance breakthrough solutions for green growth, thereby contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Amid a world still grappling with unprecedented challenges, natural disasters, climate change, pandemics, environmental pollution, resource depletion, population ageing and more, PM Chính emphasised that green transition and sustainable development are not only inevitable trends but also top priorities and strategic choices for all nations and peoples across the globe.

The theme of this year’s Summit reflects our shared aspiration for a bright, green, clean and beautiful world, the Vietnamese Prime Minister affirmed.

The PM said: “It highlights the centrality of people, who are not only the focus and beneficiaries of green transition, but also its driving force and key resource in building a sustainable future on our beautiful planet.”

Recognising that challenges also present opportunities for shared development, PM Chính shared several key lessons drawn from humanity’s journey towards green transformation. First, there is a need for a people-centred, comprehensive, inclusive, and global approach to ensure that “no one is left behind” in the green transition. Second, science, technology, innovation and digital transformation must play a pivotal role; markets should act as the guiding force; and social awareness must serve as the foundation in promoting green transformation. Third, he called for the promotion of equality, fairness, and responsibility as guiding principles in the transition.

PM Chính reiterated that Việt Nam regards green transition as an essential, objective requirement, and a decisive factor and breakthrough driver for fast growth and sustainable development. As host country of the 4th P4G Summit, and with a view to advancing a people-centred green transition, Việt Nam put forward three proposals: promote and refine green thinking, build a responsible green community, and strengthen international cooperation and develop robust, multi-stakeholder green partnership models.

Việt Nam called upon P4G to continue to capitalise on its position, potential and strengths to truly become an “incubator of ideas” and a global “laboratory” for sustainable development and green growth. PM Chính affirmed that today’s generation holds the noble responsibility and historic mission to safeguard and preserve the Earth.

“Việt Nam hopes and firmly believes that the spirit of solidarity, unity, resilience, and creative intelligence of all nations will become an unrivalled force driving green transition and inclusive, sustainable development globally, for the people, by the people, and of the people, for the happiness and prosperity of all citizens on our beloved green planet," PM Chính said.

Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

Addressing the summit, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said this year marks a crucial inflection point, the 10th anniversary of both the UN SDGs and the Paris Agreement, but yet "we are nowhere near we need to be".

She also warned that intensifying climate shocks and geopolitical turmoil are threatening to derail the progress wins in the past decade.

However, there is still hope, in the presence of governments, businesses, investors and civil society from around the world in this summit and their commitments to building more resilient, inclusive societies, the relentless human endeavour for genuine collaboration, as well as the ever-stronger economic imperatives of taking climate actions, the UN official remarked.

She stressed that more countries are breaking the link between GDP growth and rising emissions.

"Experts are estimating US$2.4 trillion a year will need to flow to emerging and developing economies outside of China by 2030, that means around $1.6 trillion of that going to the Clean Energy Transition, around $250 billion to strengthen adaptation and resilience.

"These are resources that we do have in our world today, but accessing them in a free and fair world is a challenge that we must all rise up to, and I urge every government here to do so and use the tools at your disposal accelerate the readily available, cost effective solutions and drive change with smart policies and reforms at every level, locally, nationally and globally."

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali addressed the P4G Summit on April 16. — VNA/VNS Photo

The Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed Ali said Ethiopia has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, aligning its strategy with the 2013 Sustainable Development Agenda and African Union Agenda 2063. The cornerstone of their environmental strategy is the Green Legacy Initiative, launched in 2019 as the world's largest forestation programme.

In the energy sector, Ethiopia has made remarkable progress, currently generating 98 per cent of its energy from renewable sources like hydro, wind, and solar.

The country has also implemented progressive reforms in transportation and urban development, including banning fuel-based car imports and introducing incentives for electric vehicles.

The Ethiopian Government leader also noted that adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources are the cornerstone of effective climate action. — VNS

P4G is a multilateral cooperation mechanism initiated by Denmark in 2017, with the participation of eight other member countries: Việt Nam, South Korea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, the Netherlands, Indonesia, and South Africa. It also includes five partner organisations: the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), C40 Cities, the World Economic Forum (WEF), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).To date, three P4G Summits have been held, hosted by Denmark, South Korea, Colombia, and this year in Việt Nam, respectively. These gatherings aim to foster public–private partnerships and build a coalition of political leaders committed to implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Hosting this year’s Summit is seen as an opportunity for Việt Nam in general, and Hà Nội in particular, to promote green tourism, strengthen ties with international partners, mobilise resources for socio-economic development, respond to climate change, and advance the country’s sustainable development goals.