Deputy PrimeMinister Nguyen Thien Nhan attends the Special Session on the Global Energy Assessment (GEA) during the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, Brazil, June 19, 2012 - Photo: VGP
A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan attended the Special Session on the Global Energy Assessment (GEA), which is part of the RIO+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, in Brazil on June 19 (local time).
Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Nhan said energy sector takes an important role in Vietnam’s socio-economic development process. The sector is now involving in energy exploration, exploitation, production, transmission, distribution and im-export.
The Vietnamese Government has adopted a number of policies to develop energy system to make sure that even rural residents and poor households can access to power at reasonable prices.
In rural areas, just 3% residents could access to power in 1976. The figure rose to 14% in 1992 and 94.22% in 2008, according to the Deputy Prime Minister.
However, the scope and efficiency of the sector remain low due to high power loss and limited investment for power development in rural and mountainous areas. The country may also face energy shortage between 2015 and 2020.
For sustainable development of energy sector, Vietnam needs to improve the energy efficiency through establishing legal framework, diversifying energy resources, speeding up renewable energy use, and seeking funding for power grid expansion.
Deputy Prime Minsiter Nhan said Vietnam could possibly realize the energy for all initiative in a sustainable manner. The Government is now designing a Green Growth Strategy which demonstrates the country’s effort to restructure the economy for sustainable development.
He took the occasion to called on international financial and technological support for making national and regional energy planning schemes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, setting up market-ruled energy sector, developing renewable energies in rural areas among others./.