Viet Nam will continue to participate in projects under the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD). Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Khoi Nguyen made the commitment while meeting with UN-REDD Director Yern Katerere on the sidelines of the 15th UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday.
Nguyen spoke highly of UN-REDD US$4.5 million grant to support Viet Nam’s efforts to build capacity in the forestry sector and plant 5 million hectares of forest.
The minister said Viet Nam needed more assistance from UN-REDD and other international organisations for afforestation and forest management, which are considered as two of the nation’s major tasks for realising the National Target Programme on Climate Change.
Katerere applauded Viet Nam’s co-operation and participation in UN-REDD projects and pledged to help the country seek more funding in this field in the future.
Viet Nam is one of nine countries chosen by UN-REDD to carry out its pilot project. The country plans to set up a UN-REDD network across the country following the pilot stage, which would require up to $12 million in funding.