Vietnam has received $790 million in pledges from donor countries and
international organizations to devise measures to cope with climate change and
curb carbon emissions, a state-run newspaper reported on Monday.
The
World Bank-run Clean Technology Fund has pledged $250 million and the rest would
come from governments of Denmark, France and Japan, the Hanoi Moi daily,
run by the municipal authority, quoted national program officer Tran Thi Minh Ha
as saying.
Vietnam is recognized as one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of
climate change. Floods, droughts and rising sea levels threaten the lives of
millions of farmers and the yields from the country's top cash crops, rice and
coffee.
State media did not give a breakdown for the pledges from the three donor
countries.
The
World Bank money was announced last December on the sidelines of the Copenhagen
climate summit and is part of $800 million pledged by the Bank for Vietnam,
Thailand and the Philippines to fight climate change and green their economies.
The
money for Vietnam will target energy efficiency, renewable energy and
enhancements to rail systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, among other areas.
The
Clean Technology Fund investments will mobilize financing of about $3.195
billion from the government, multilateral financiers, carbon finance and the
private sector in Vietnam, the Bank said in December.