Hanoi, Oct 10 – The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Viet Nam (MONRE) in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) organized a high-level dialogue on Wednesday on climate change, with participation of policymakers and representatives from development partners, the private sector, civil society organizations and media.
 
At the dialogue, information on the newly approved Special Report of the IPCC on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C and related global greenhouse gas emission related pathways, known as Global Warming of 1.5°C, were also shared.
 
Deputy Minister of MONRE, Mr. Le Cong Thanh said "As one of the countries heavily impacted by climate change, Viet Nam has actively implemented international commitments and efforts to cope with climate change. Viet Nam has issued a Plan for the Implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, with a focus on implementing its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). The dialogue focuses on issues related to the response actions to climate change in Viet Nam; promoting cooperation, connection with development partners, scientific community, enterprises, organizations and individuals to response to climate change."
 
The IPCC is the global body for assessing the science related to climate change. In December 2015, when governments adopted the Paris Agreement, they invited the IPCC to prepare a report on warming of 1.5°C in 2018, when nations review the Paris Agreement at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), to be held in Poland in December this year. The Summary for Policymakers of the report was approved at an IPCC Session in Incheon, Republic of Korea, on 6 October.
 
"Limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society,” said IPCC Chair Lee. "With clear benefits to people and natural ecosystems, limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2°C could go hand in hand with ensuring a more sustainable and equitable society," he added.
 
According to the report, limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared with 2°C would reduce impacts on ecosystems, human health and well-being, making it easier to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
 
"The IPCC report highlights the severe climate change impacts that could be avoided by limiting global warming to 1.5°C, but the time to act is rapidly closing" said Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Country Director. "A 'climate doi moi' is needed as fundamental as the economic 'doi moi' that Viet Nam adopted 40 years ago" she added to bring about rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and boost green jobs for a more resilient sustainable society.
 
The report highlights a number of climate change impacts that could be avoided by limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2°C, or more. For instance, by 2100, global sea level rise would be 10 cm lower with global warming of 1.5°C compared with 2°C. The likelihood of an Arctic Ocean free of sea ice in summer would be once per century with global warming of 1.5°C, compared with at least once per decade with 2°C. Coral reefs would decline by 70–90 percent with global warming of 1.5°C, whereas virtually all (>99 percent) would be lost with 2°C.
 
"One of the key messages that comes out very strongly from this report is that we are already seeing the consequences of 1°C of global warming through more extreme weather and rising sea levels among other changes," said Panmao Zhai, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I. "At the current rate of warming, the world is likely to reach 1.5° between 2030 and 2052" he added.
 
The event will also include a scientific workshop and a public event hosted by the University of Vietnam.
 

For more information, contact:
Webpage of the event: http://ipcc.ch/apps/outreach/eventinfo.php?q=432
 
IPCC contacts:
Nina Peeva: ipcc-media@wmo.int, Tel: +41 22 730 8142 or +41 79 704 2459
 
MONRE contacts:
Website: http://www.monre.gov.vn/, Tel: +43 7956868, Email: portal@monre.gov.vn
 
UNDP contacts:
phan.huong.giang@undp.org, Tel: +84 (0)4 38 500 100
 
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Notes for editors
 

The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C , known as SR15, is being prepared in response to an invitation from the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2015, when they reached the Paris Agreement, and will inform the Talanoa Dialogue at the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24). The Talanoa Dialogue will take stock of the collective efforts of Parties in relation to progress towards the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement, and to inform the preparation of nationally determined contributions. Details of the report, including the approved outline, can be found on the report page. The report was prepared under the joint scientific leadership of all three IPCC Working Groups, with support from the Working Group I Technical Support Unit.
 
The Summary for Policymakers of the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (SR15) is available at http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/ or www.ipcc.ch.
 
Key statistics of the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C
 
91 authors from 44 citizenships and 40 countries of residence
- 14 Coordinating Lead Authors (CLAs)
- 60 Lead authors (LAs)
- 17 Review Editors (REs)
 
133 Contributing authors (CAs)
Over 6,000 cited references
A total of 42,001 expert and government review comments
(First Order Draft 12,895; Second Order Draft 25,476; Final Government Draft: 3,630)
 
What is the IPCC?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the world body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly, to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.
 
The IPCC assesses the thousands of scientific papers published each year to tell policymakers what we know and don’t know about the risks related to climate change. The IPCC identifies where there is agreement in the scientific community, where there are differences of opinion, and where further research is needed. It does not conduct its own research.
 
Thus the IPCC offers policymakers a snapshot of what the scientific community understands about climate change rather than promoting a particular view. IPCC reports are policy-relevant without being policy-prescriptive. The IPCC may set out options for policymakers to choose from in pursuit of goals decided by policymakers, but it does not tell governments what to do.
 
To produce its reports, the IPCC mobilizes hundreds of scientists. These scientists and officials are drawn from diverse backgrounds. Only a dozen permanent staff work in the IPCC's Secretariat.
 
The members of the Panel are its 195 member governments. They work by consensus to endorse the reports of the IPCC and set its procedures and budget in plenary meetings of the Panel. The word "Intergovernmental" in the organization's name reflects this. It is not a United Nations agency, but is sponsored by two UN organizations – WMO and UNEP.
 
IPCC reports are requested by the member governments and developed by authors drawn from the scientific community in an extensive process of repeated drafting and review. Scientists and other experts participate in this review process through a self-declaration of expertise. The Panel endorses these reports in a dialogue between the governments that request the reports and will work with them and the scientists that write them. In this discussion the scientists have the last word on any additions or changes, although the Panel may agree by consensus to delete something.
 
Sixth Assessment Cycle
At its 41st Session in February 2015, the IPCC decided to produce a Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). At its 42nd Session in October 2015 it elected a new Bureau that would oversee the work on this report and Special Reports to be produced in the assessment cycle. At its 43rd Session in April 2016, it decided to produce three Special Reports, a Methodology Report and AR6.
 
The Methodology Report to refine the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories will be delivered in 2019. Besides Global Warming of 1.5°C, the IPCC will finalize two further special reports in 2019: the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate and Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. The AR6 Synthesis Report will be finalized in the first half of 2022, following the three working group contributions to AR6 in 2021.
 
For more information go to www.ipcc.ch