Vietnam makes slow progress in shifting toward green economy: report
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Green Future Index listed Vietnam as a climate laggard economy for making low and uneven commitments toward a green future.
The index released by MIT Technology Review Insights this week measures 76 global economies on their progress and commitment toward building a low-carbon future.
Vietnam did best in the Green Society pillar, which measure how a country preserves its environment and adopts sustainable practices, to finish in 12th place. The index stated Vietnam made progress in nationwide reforestation efforts, including the over-logged Central Highlands.
The country came in 18th place in Clean Innovation (number of green patents, investment in cross-border clean energy, investment in food technology), 20th in Energy Transition (contribution of renewables to the overall energy mix and its recent historical rate of change), 52nd in Climate Policy (measuring the ambition and effectiveness of climate policy).
Vietnam performed poorest in the Carbon Emissions pillar, coming in 70th place, for having a high CO2 emissions growth rate.
Overall, the nation was ranked 49th and listed as one of 20 climate laggard countries and territories “that are making slow and uneven progress or commitments toward building a green future.”
The index pointed out economies in this list “struggle to lessen their dependency on fossil fuels” counter to sustainable development. It noted Vietnam and countries like South Africa (47th) and Indonesia (57th) are all among the world’s top 10 coal exporters.
Dang Khoa
