- HE. Mr. Antonio Alessandro, Embassy of Italy who is joining with us online on behalf of the Co-chairs for COP26
- Prof. Marco Abbiati, Scientific Attache, Embassy of Italy who is joining with us online
- Mr. Ngô Văn Cương, Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the HCYU
- Mr. Nguyen Tuan Quang, Deputy Director General, Department of Climate Change, MONRE
- Youth from Viet Nam attending the event online and with us today

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good morning and xin chào.

We are delighted to join hands today with our key partners, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, to co-organize this meaningful contest. Through this competition, we are looking to accelerate climate action, by promoting an inclusive approach, in which youth-led innovative ideas and policy recommendations, are celebrated.

Promoting youth innovation is at the heart of our current UNDP’s Global Climate Promise programme and a priority for UNDP in Viet Nam. I encourage you all attending today to learn, nurture their curiosity, take actions, be bold and creative. The steps you take today will impact your life as you grow up and you can be part of the change.

One of the key finding of the Special Report on Youth for Climate Action that will be released tomorrow is that the fact that youth are the powerhouse for innovation! Running a Youth Innovation Contest was therefore highlighted as one of the key accelerators that Youth Unions should explore to unlock the full potential of youth in undertaking climate actions, and effectively contributing to the national and global climate agenda.

Colleagues and friends,

We face a climate emergency! A signatory of the Paris Agreement, Viet Nam is committed to making contributions to achieve the global target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Viet Nam submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (also called NDC), which is the climate plan for the five years to come.

Yet, Viet Nam is already ranked among the most vulnerable countries to natural disasters and climate change. With 2-degree warming and no adaptation efforts, sea-level rise will inundate as much as 39 per cent of the Mekong delta, devastating many cities and communities in different regions.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Together with the Youth Union, we invite youth passionate about environment and climate change to join this National Contest and get the opportunity to earn up to 50 million VND to elaborate their brilliant and impactful ideas further. In addition to the prize money, you will receive technical advice from UNDP experts to support the realisation of innovative solutions for reducing emissions and accelerating adaptation efforts. You will also join our innovation ecosystem to expand you network and build new partnerships.

The four cross-cutting themes selected for the competition: communications and education, greenhouse gases mitigation, climate-friendly entrepreneurship, and adaptation, disaster risk reduction and nature-based solutions; are of utmost importance for climate action in Viet Nam. Only by combining awareness-raising with innovation, business and science will we be able to collectively tackle the most pressing challenge of our time.  

We hope that this Climate Innovation Contest will contribute to bringing youth-led solutions to the forefront of the race against climate change.

Colleagues and friends,

Viet Nam has a profound experience in turning challenges into new opportunities. At the heart of these historical success lies the roles of youth in taking new reforms and innovations. My colleagues would remember the time of the Doi Moi, profound economic reforms, that have put Viet Nam on the path of the accelerated economic development and triggered this immense economic recovery that has been praised globally. Recently, Viet Nam demonstrated again the role of innovation in containing COVID-19: from locally produced masks to the rice ATM.

At UNDP, we promote what we called inclusive innovation. Innovation of, by and for people for the purpose of both sustainable economic growth and social advancement.

Now is the time for the young generation, to act for a ‘climate doi moi’ to serve a green and sustainable Viet Nam.  We do believe that with the creativity, enthusiasm, passion, your young generation have the power to influence an inclusive and innovative Viet Nam, that is leading on climate action.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We hope that this year marks the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership with the Ho Chi Minh Youth Union in bringing together innovation, technology, climate action and sustainability.

I would also like to warmly invite you all to join the online launch of our Special Report on Youth for Climate Action, with the presence of the COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma. The accelerators introduced in the Special Report may help you formulate ideas for the contest that would deliver transformative impacts and contribute to the achievement of the NDC target.

Thank you! Xin cảm ơn!