An Ambitious International Climate Change Agreement In Paris

The UK and Vietnam discuss how to secure an ambitious international climate change agreement in Paris at the end of the year and explore opportunities for collaboration in low carbon energy policies.

The UK is keen to share with Vietnam its experience in addressing climate change (both domestically and internationally), through the policies it has adopted to decarbonise and supply lower carbon energy and explore opportunities for collaboration in energy efficiency and energy security, including potential coordination with UK Trade and Investment on civil nuclear energy.

Sir David King, the UK Foreign Secretary's Special Representative for Climate Change will meet senior Vietnamese leaders to deliver UK key messages on urgency of tackling the climate challenge and importance of the low carbon economic development. The international negotiations held in Paris at the end of the year will be a key event in achieving this. He will highlight the need for the Vietnamese government to develop a low carbon energy policy. Sir David King will also discuss UK-Vietnam cooperation on the illegal wildlife trade and offer support to Vietnam's efforts in hosting the 3rd International Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade in 2016.

Speaking prior to his arrival in Hanoi, Sir David King said: "Climate change poses a potentially catastrophic threat to our societies, our economies and our environment. It's high time for us to act now. We need a new global agreement in December 2015 which keeps the future global temperature rise within safe levels, i.e. 2 degrees Celsius, and all countries, including Vietnam to make a fair contribution to achieve this."