Vietnam urged to strengthen climate cooperation and explore green financing tools

THE HANOI TIMES — Accelerating climate change poses one of the most urgent global threats, and Vietnam must continue leveraging international cooperation and innovative financing to meet the challenge, said Nguyen Xuan Khanh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper.

Khanh was speaking at the seminar was jointly organized by the newspaper Kinh te & Do thi, ActionAid International Vietnam, the Aid for Social Protection Foundation Vietnam (AFV) and Can Tho University in the southern city of Cantho on June 14.

It was one of many activities celebrating the 100th anniversary of Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day on June 21, 2025.

According to Khanh, climate change is accelerating at an increasingly alarming rate and has become one of the world’s most pressing issues.

He stressed the importance of international cooperation in addressing and adapting to climate change, noting that Vietnam has persistently adhered to the Party and State's policies regarding proactive and active global cooperation in climate action.

"These efforts have produced significant results, contributing to the country's socioeconomic development and sustainable growth," said Khanh.

“Vietnam is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate-related risks, especially flooding in coastal areas and low-lying river deltas,” said the deputy editor-in-chief. "In recent decades, these threats have grown more intense."

Khanh also highlighted the challenges that developing and vulnerable countries face in accessing resources for climate adaptation.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), by the end of 2020, developed nations, including the United States and the European Union, had provided $83.3 billion in climate finance to vulnerable countries. This figure includes both public and private financing.

One promising solution, Khanh said, lies in debt-for-nature swaps - mechanism where nations receive debt relief in exchange for commitments to green investments. This approach offers a comprehensive way to address multiple challenges at once, particularly for countries like Vietnam.

"Central and local media have played an active role in promoting climate adaptation messages," he said. "Our newspaper is proud to be part of this national effort for a greener Vietnam."

The seminar provided a platform for sharing practical experiences, stories from the field, and professional perspectives. It also identified challenges and proposed concrete solutions for raising awareness and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Tran Ngoc Hai, Vice Rector of Can Tho University, said that the nearly 60-year-old institution has always striven to fulfill its mission and contribute to the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta and the entire country.

Cantho University was honored to co-host the seminar on green finance and sustainable development, Hai said, given its strengths in multidisciplinary training, human resources, facilities, scientific research, and both domestic and international partnerships.

“I am confident that today’s discussions, combined with the insights of our experts and the active participation of all delegates, will lay a solid foundation for future cooperation and development,” he said.

The seminar featured two sessions. The first, titled "Who Owes Whom?", focused on current climate adaptation efforts in Vietnam, communities most affected by natural disasters, and topics such as financial equity and climate debt.

The second session brought together media professionals to discuss long-term strategies for structured, consistent, professional reporting on climate change.

Participants shared their experiences developing news stories, photo reports, radio and television programs, and other journalistic works dedicated to raising awareness and supporting climate action.

On the same day, the Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper and its partners planted 2,025 white mangrove saplings in Lai Hoa Commune in Soc Trang Province's Vinh Chau Town (now the centrally governed city of Can Tho) to protect the coastline, prevent erosion, and stabilize vulnerable areas.