- A recent report, “The Missing “Just” in Vietnam’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP)” from International Rivers, outlines the key concerns relating to the JETP’s financing, governance, energy solutions, and public participation.
- This detailed analysis, published by International Rivers and the Vietnam Climate Defenders Coalition, provides critical insights into ways forward that would enable Vietnam’s JETP to achieve its objectives and support a truly just energy transition for the country.
Heavily dependent on coal, Vietnam is one of the fastest growing per capita GHG emitters worldwide, with emissions quadrupling from 2000- 2015.2 At the same time, the country is among five of the most vulnerable in the world to the impacts of climate change.3 More than 100 new high temperature records were broken across Vietnam in April 2024 alone.4 Together, these factors mean Vietnam’s energy transition is both critical and urgent.
The proposed US $15.5 billion JETP financing for Vietnam represents only a small fraction of the estimated US $135 billion needed by 2030 just to implement Vietnam’s power development plans, and a projected US $364 to $511 billion required to implement the country’s energy transition by 2050.5 Nonetheless, the JETP has potential to establish a governance framework that will kickstart planning towards a comprehensive, fair, funded, and fossil fuel-free energy transition. This includes the goal of achieving a “just” and inclusive transition through participation and “broad social consensus.”6
However, the suppression of climate and environmental activists in Vietnam has drawn concern about the ability of the JETP to achieve its objectives and utilize funds as intended. Over the last few years, Vietnamese authorities have unjustly arrested and imprisoned six prominent climate leaders, experts, and advocates, and increased crackdowns on independent organizations working on environmental and energy issues in the country.
This has severely limited — perhaps eliminated — genuine opportunities for consultation with civil society, an essential part of the JETP as set out
in the Political Declaration on Establishing the Vietnam JETP7 (Political Declaration). The arrests and wider fears of persecution in the environmental and energy sectors have also restricted access to information and public participation in Vietnam’s energy transition. Without civil society involvement in the process, it is difficult to see how the Vietnamese government can be held accountable in implementing a truly just energy transition or ensuring that the country meets its climate ambitions and targets.
There are additional challenges for the Vietnam
JETP to achieve a “just” transition at the pace and scale needed to meet the threats posed by climate change. Firstly, the vast majority of the financing has been offered in the form of market rate loans rather than grants. This arguably contradicts the “just” aspect of the JETP by compelling Vietnam — and the Vietnamese people — to incur debt in order to finance the energy transition.
Further, there is an overall lack of clarity or guiding principles in defining what is required to achieve a “just” transition, reflected in both the JETP financing and its implementing framework. Little specific financing is dedicated to the “just” aspect of the JETP, including funding for the research necessary to understand key challenges, ensure wide consultation, monitor implementation, and achieve a broad consensus.
Link to the full report HERE
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
