Australia supports carbon markets partnerships in Vietnam

The six multistakeholder partnerships, supported by an investment of AUD 3.3 million from DFAT, will leverage more than $3.7 million in private sector investment and resources towards improving the enabling environment for carbon markets projects in Vietnam that are able to deliver verifiable and sustainable social and environmental outcomes.

The new partnerships will test and trial new approaches within voluntary market frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower carbon market entry barriers for producers, build capacity of local stakeholders, and deliver important social benefits.

"Australia is ambitious for what we can achieve together with Vietnam, and the region, in confronting the challenges of climate change," said Chargé d'Affairs, Mark Tattersall. "These new BPP Carbon Markets partnerships are part of Australia's commitment to supporting enhanced climate action in our region, including through climate partnerships that also work to deliver social and environmental benefits to communities."

The six partnerships announced today are:

1. Incentivizing low emissions rice production through satellite technology – A partnership with CarbonFarm Technology, the International Rice Research Institute, Rikolto and DFAT to train and support rice producers to move to lower emission practices.  The partnership will also pilot a world-first satellite-driven Measuring, Reporting and Verification solution for rice. The satellite MRV will leverage advances in remote-sensing technology to detect sustainable practices and accurately estimate emissions reductions from satellite images.

2. Scaling carbon markets access for sustainable rice producers – A partnership between the International Rice Research Institute – Vietnam, Gold Standard and DFAT to develop a new methodology for generating carbon credits from rice production.

3. Enabling nature-based carbon projects – A partnership with NatureCo, One Tree Planted, the Center for Nature Conservation and Development, Cooper Energy and DFAT to identify opportunities for Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) across Vietnam, work with local organizations to build carbon skills and develop a NbS pilot project focused on carbon mitigation through reforestation.

4. Upland crop planting for incomes and carbon sequestration – A partnership with Greenfield Consulting and Development, the University of Queensland, the Forest Science Centre of Northwest Vietnam and DFAT to generate carbon credits by planting timber and multi-purpose (fruit and timber) trees on sloping cropland in Son La province, Vietnam.

5. Bio-char for carbon removal and improved livelihoods – A partnership with Bio-care Projects, EnergyLink Services, the University of Adelaide, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Mai Anh Dong Thap and DFAT to establish bio-char production in the Mekong Delta. The project aims to remove approximately 15,000 tons of CO2e annually, creating new income streams for local communities through carbon credits and the purchase of biomass feedstock.

6. Promoting nature-based solutions through afforestation carbon projects – A partnership with South Pole, Energy and Environment Consultancy (VNEEC) and DFAT to Nature-based Solutions carbon projects in Vietnam and support the enabling environment for Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ projects, using existing afforestation projects in Northwest Vietnam as a model.

7. The Business Partnerships Platform supports partnerships between DFAT and inclusive, commercially sustainable businesses to deliver strategic development outcomes, with a focus on gender equality, social inclusion and climate impact.

Since 2016, the program has supported 52 partnerships in 18 countries.

Reported by Chung Anh