Strategies for Vietnam to Achieve Net Zero by 2050

nongnghiepmoitruong.vn

Experts in the environmental field have outlined eight strategies to help Vietnam achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2050.

During his presentation at the training workshop “Enhancing Media Capacity on Carbon Neutrality” on October 15, Mr. Hoang Anh Dung, Director of INTRACO, gave a detailed explanation of definitions related to carbon emissions and proposed strategies for Vietnam to achieve net zero by 2050.

Delegates attending the training program

Understanding Carbon Neutrality and Net Zero

According to Mr. Hoang Anh Dung, Carbon Neutrality refers to the balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon emissions. To achieve carbon neutrality, companies have two options: either reduce their carbon emissions to zero or minimize emissions as much as possible and compensate for the remainder by purchasing carbon credits.

Meanwhile, Net Zero means achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released and those removed from the atmosphere. There is also a concept called Negative Emissions, which describes a state where emissions fall below the carbon-neutral level.

A key distinction between carbon neutrality and net zero lies in the type of carbon credits used for offsetting.

• For carbon neutrality, the offsets can include Reduction, Avoidance, and Removal credits.

• For net zero, only Removal credits are acceptable for compensation.

Mr. Hoang Anh Dung, Director of INTRACO, shares about carbon neutrality and net zero.

Strategies for Achieving Net Zero

To reach net zero by 2050, Mr. Dung emphasized that Vietnam must first increase renewable energy to over 90% of the national energy mix.

Second, expand annual reforestation to reach 1.71 million hectares.

Third, eliminate or minimize the use of HFCs, PFCs, SF₆, and N₂O in industrial processes. At the same time, ensure >90% methane (CH₄) recovery from landfills and livestock waste.

In the agricultural sector, the next strategy is to apply alternate wetting and drying (AWD) methods on more than 90% of rice-growing areas. Additionally, over 90% of agricultural by-products should be utilized for energy generation and soil improvement.

Another key measure is to promote CO₂ removal projects (such as Carbon Capture and Storage and Carbon Removal) and, finally, to increase the use of green hydrogen and biofuels for more than 90% of industrial boilers and transportation vehicles.

According to Mr. Dung, achieving net zero requires companies to reduce actual emissions across their entire value chain, transform technologies, make substantial investments, adapt business models, and invest in carbon removal projects.

“This is a long-term process that demands significant financial, technical, and management resources,” Mr. Dung emphasized.

In practice, many global companies start with carbon neutrality—by first measuring their emissions, then offsetting them with carbon credits, and later investing in emission reduction projects. According to Mr. Dung, carbon neutrality helps establish a data foundation, emission management capacity, and readiness for transitioning toward net zero.

A biomass-fueled boiler (using wood chips and sawdust) at TH true MILK’s dairy factory replaces fossil fuels to reduce emissions.

In Vietnam, TH Group is one of the few domestic companies certified Carbon Neutral under the international standard PAS 2060:2014, applied to TH True Milk fresh milk and TH True Water purified water products. Intraco, led by Mr. Dung, is the consulting partner supporting TH Group’s journey toward net-zero emissions.

In TH Group’s case, the emission scope includes both direct emissions and indirect emissions from energy use. The total emissions are neutralized through internal reductions, technological improvements, and clean energy adoption.

Currently, TH Group has committed to maintaining carbon neutrality at its two subsidiaries until 2028 under the PAS 2060 standard, and subsequently under the ISO 14068 standard. In the long term, TH Group aligns with and supports the Vietnamese Government’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050.