Vietnam launches 2050 Calculator update to fulfil its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the British Embassy Hanoi have jointly launched an updated version of the 2050 Calculator energy and emissions model for Vietnam. The update was delivered under the UK Government’s international 2050 Calculator programme, being funded by the UK Government and led by global engineering, management and development consultancy, Mott MacDonald, and a consortium which includes Climact, Imperial College and Ricardo.

Vietnam has submitted updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), with greenhouse gas emission reduction becoming an important mandate for industries. The present version of the Vietnam 2050 Calculator – a tool that allows users to trial different options for reducing emissions at a faster rate and to build a pathway that meets long-term emission targets to 2050 – has helped several industries and the energy sector to set their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets as well as identify realistic solutions which support the implementation of NDCs.

The new Vietnam 2050 Calculator reflects the prevailing policies, ongoing efforts in energy supply and demand, and proposes reference scenarios on energy production and consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from now to 2050. The new version includes detailed descriptions of 14 industries, energy and transport sectors (all large energy users and greenhouse gas emitters), with updated information on the energy sources for socio-economic development, including renewable energy and clean energy, towards climate change mitigation.

David McNaught – chargé d’affaires of the British Embassy said: “We are delighted to see the completion of this upgrade to the Vietnam 2050 Calculator, and look forward to seeing how Vietnam uses it. The UK’s 2050 Calculator programme was launched in 2012, and Vietnam was one of four countries that used its Calculator in development of NDCs in 2015. Around the world, Calculators now cover more than 60 countries, territories and cities. This is very important in the year of COP26, as the 2050 Calculator and other UK International Climate Finance programmes play a critical role in enabling countries to set, plan for, and progress ambitious climate targets and long-term energy strategies.”

Mr Tang The Hung – deputy director of the Department of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Industry and Trade shared: “Over the years, the Department for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development and our Vietnamese experts have worked closely with experts from the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Mott MacDonald-led consortium, and colleagues from the British Embassy in Hanoi to conduct in-depth research and upgrade the Vietnam 2050 Calculator to the existing "Vietnam2050calculator4ndc". The completion of this version is very timely and of particular significance after the Conference of the Parties on climate change (COP26), opening up suggestions for scenarios of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Vietnam's energy sector in the long term and towards net zero by 2050.”

Sam Carter, principal renewable energy advisor, Mott MacDonald, and programme country manager for Vietnam, said: “The official launch of the Vietnam 2050 Calculator is a brilliant milestone for the 2050 Calculator Programme, and reflects a lot of hard work on behalf of the team in Vietnam and the Mott MacDonald-led consortium. We are looking forward to seeing how Vietnam uses this powerful tool to enhance their nationally determined contribution (NDC) and long-term energy strategies.”

The Vietnam2050calculator4ndc is an opened, user-friendly model. It could be used by a wide range of users from policy makers, research institutions, organisations and individuals interested in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector. The Vietnam2050calculator4ndc, tutorial manual and videos showing how to develop and use this tool are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2022.