US-VIETNAM RELATIONS

United States Climate Change Cooperation with Vietnam Fact Sheet

June 25, 2008

The United States and Vietnam will work together to promote Vietnamese climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.  More specifically, the two countries have agreed to set up a new joint subcommittee under the existing bilateral Science and Technology Agreement to advance specific areas of cooperation.

Vietnam and the United States are working together to address climate change through a variety of existing and planned activities:

• In October 2008, United States Geological Survey will launch the Delta Research And Global Observation Network (DRAGON) Institute in Can Tho to address environmental issues, especially climate change, that threaten the Mekong Delta;
• The United States assists Vietnam in promoting clean energy production and fuel standards; 
• Vietnam became the 20th nation to join the U.S.-led Methane to Markets Partnership in 2007, an international initiative that advances methane recovery and use as a clean energy source;
• Earlier this year, the U.S. Forest Service agreed to assist Vietnam respond to the impact of climate on forest management; and 
• A USAID-funded watershed management program in the Dong Nai river basin has led to national adoption of a pilot payments-for-environmental-services policy.

Vietnam is responding to the challenge of climate change in several ways, including:

• Creation of a national climate change steering committee led by Prime Minister Dung; and
• Drafting of a comprehensive national action plan, which will address climate change adaptation and mitigation.