Hanoi, 20 January 2026 – Viet Nam has taken a key step to scale up ocean and coastal climate as the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) convened a discussion on the Action Plan of the National Blue Carbon Action Partnership (NBCAP) Viet Nam and officially introduced its Secretariat, hosted by UNDP.

This event marks a critical milestone in implementing the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed between MAE and the World Economic Forum (WEF) in October 2025, positioning Viet Nam as the third country globally, joining Indonesia and the Philippines to establish a National Blue Carbon Action Partnership.

Representatives from MAE-affiliated agencies, line ministries, diplomatic missions, development partners, financial institutions, including IFC and JSC Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), academia and the private sector, discussed the strategic direction of the NBCAP and next steps for operationalizing the Partnership.

Participants underscored the importance of blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves, seagrasses, and coastal wetlands, in strengthening climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and sustaining livelihoods for coastal communities. There was strong consensus on the need for a country-led, multi-stakeholder platform to mobilize international expertise, finance, and innovation for blue carbon ecosystem conservation and restoration in Viet Nam.
Dr. Vu Duc Dam Quang, Deputy Director General of ICD (MAE) emphasizes: “Viet Nam values the close cooperation and technical support from our international partners in this emerging and complex field. Establishing and promoting a multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism through NBCAP will be instrumental in realizing the country’s sustainable development goals, particularly in nature conservation, marine ecosystem restoration, and greenhouse gas emission reduction.”

Representing UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)—the donor supporting NBCAP through WEF, Mr. Fergus McBean, First Secretary for Climate and Nature, British Embassy to Viet Nam, expressed confidence in the role of international, multi-stakeholder platforms such as NBCAP. He emphasized the expectation that NBCAP will serve as an effective forum to mobilize technical and financial resources, accelerating blue carbon conservation and restoration efforts in Viet Nam.

Ms. Francesca Nardini, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Viet Nam reaffirms, “As the host of the NBCAP Secretariat, UNDP is committed to leveraging its global and national networks to help Viet Nam unlock blue carbon potential and deliver on international climate commitments.”

In her keynote presentation, Dr. Emily Kelly, Lead – Blue Carbon Action Partnership (BCAP), World Economic Forum (WEF), shared, “The Forum is honored to support Viet Nam as the third country globally to establish a National Blue Carbon Action Partnership, joining Indonesia and the Philippines in demonstrating global leadership in blue carbon ecosystem conservation and restoration. Building on our strong partnership, we look forward to working with MAE and national stakeholders to deliver a comprehensive blue carbon action and finance roadmap aligned with Viet Nam’s climate and biodiversity commitments and national development priorities”.

What is Blue Carbon? 
Blue carbon refers to carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems. 
Blue carbon ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses, and tidal marshes, act as massive natural carbon sinks. They can sequester large amounts of carbon both in plants and underlying sediments, playing a vital role in mitigating climate change and delivering multiple benefits for biodiversity and coastal communities (Source: UNESCO)