Abstract
Agriculture is both highly sensitive to climate change and a major global emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). With growing international pressure to curb global emissions through the 2015 Paris Agreement and mounting climate change-related losses in agriculture, countries are in need of an increasingly robust agricultural policy framework. This paper takes an in-depth look at the agricultural sector in Viet Nam, contributing to a better understanding of the main bottlenecks in implementing the Paris Agreement, evaluating the relevance and impact of selected barriers for the implementation of current climate policies and their implications for nationally determined contribution (NDC) design. To address these questions, an exploratory mixed method approach was employed: (i) identifying and mapping key policies, (ii) reviewing global literature sources on barriers, (iii) conducting stakeholder interviews (n= 25), and (iv) follow-up quantitative surveys (n= 16). The interviews revealed numerous barriers within Viet Nam's institutional setting that acted to impede the creation and implementation of climate policy. As seen in other countries, insufficient inter-ministry collaboration and information sharing restricted the overall success of climate policy, with poor representation of non-lead ministries in drafting and inadequate channels for bottom-up engagement also considered major constraints. These coupled with gaps in financing make for fragmented policies that often lack clear implementation guidelines, particularly at a local level. The NDC process presents an opportunity for Viet Nam to coordinate their cross-sector climate response around a single international agreement, facilitating greater inter-ministry information and data sharing, while utilizing the technical and financial support provided through international partners to build capacity in this vital area.
Highlights
The 2015 Paris Agreement (PA) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) required all participating countries to propose greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets in the form of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs)
A decade later, climate change has been integrated into all levels of government, from the Central Committee of Party (CCP), to sector- and region-specific action plans
The paper finds a comprehensive policy framework for agriculture in Viet Nam, with climate change adaptation and mitigation integrated at all levels
Summary
The 2015 Paris Agreement (PA) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) required all participating countries to propose greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets in the form of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs). These commitments became NDCs when participating governments ratified the PA in November 2016. Developing countries, in particular, have placed great emphasis on the role of the agricultural sector in achieving GHG emission reductions stipulated in their INDCs (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016). Agriculture, excluding land-use change and forestry, contributes 25% of Viet Nam’s total emission, making it the second largest emitter behind the energy sector (Climate Watch Data, 2014). The adoption of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice was shown to have a significant mitigation potential at negative costs
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