ASEM calls for joint efforts to respond to climate change

Can Tho, June 21 (VNA) – Policy-makers, socio-political organisations, enterprises and capital funds should play a greater role and involve broadly in the fight against climate change, heard the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Conference on Climate Action to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals - Ways Forward. The two-day conference wrapped up in Mekong delta Can Tho city on June 20. ASEM members agreed that climate change response should be studied and evaluated as part of the sustainable development strategy, as well as in efforts to alleviate poverty; ensure food safety, energy security and water security; and build resilient communities, thus creating new momentum for sustainable and inclusive development for all citizens. Discussing important issues in the context of climate change, they reached consensus on promoting joint actions in ASEM, particularly accelerating ASEM’s contributions to the global efforts in realising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Paris Agreement on Climate Change. They said that the agreements help tackle core issues of development, create a driving force for economic shake-up, transform into a green economy model with low emission, and enhance resilient capacity of citizens, community and nations. Also, they were unanimous in supporting developing members to cope with formidable climate change challenges through financial assistance, transfer of green and clean technology, and ASEM cooperation in reducing plastic garbage discharged into oceans. The participants at the conference consented to endorse regional and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, including the Mekong-Danube cooperation initiative. Practical experience was shared among the Eurasian countries, particularly in smart agriculture in adaptation to climate change, food security, clean technologies, and infrastructure development. Many ASEM members lauded Vietnam’s efforts and agreed to back Vietnam, particularly 13 cities and provinces in the Mekong Delta region, to adapt to climate change for sustainable development. Concluding the conference, Nguyen Minh Hang, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and head of the Vietnamese ASEM SOM, stressed that the conference helped improve practicability of ASEM cooperation mechanism and affirm ASEM’s contributions to global efforts for sustainable development. Especially, it asserted Vietnam’s global integration policy and its roles and contributions to ASEM as one of the founding members of the forum, she noticed. She added that recommendations adopted at the conference will form ASEM’s cooperative orientations to combat climate change. In the framework of the conference, there were meetings between Mekong Delta localities, Vietnamese institutions and Eurasian partners. An exhibition on “Climate change-Challenges and opportunities for Asia-Europe cooperation” was featured at the event, highlighting challenges and efforts made by the Vietnamese Government and localities to reduce impacts of climate change towards sustainable development. -VNA