The United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change aims to stabilize the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere so as to protect the earth's climate system, ensure food security and create conditions for sustainable socio-economic development of mankind.

The Kyoto Protocol to the Climate Convention is a legal instrument for the implementation of the Convention, which entered into force on February 16, 2005. The important contents of the Kyoto Protocol are to set greenhouse gas emission reduction targets legally binding on the developed countries and mechanisms to help the developing countries obtain sustainable socio-economic development through the "clean development mechanism" (CDM). CDM projects shall be invested in such domains as energy, industry, transport, agriculture, forestry and waste management.

Having ratified the Climate Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, Vietnam is entitled to benefits for the developing countries in getting access to financial support and technology transfer from the developed countries through CDM projects.

In order to effectively implement the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change in Vietnam, the Prime Minister requests concerned ministries and branches to perform the following tasks:

1. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the coordinator of the Vietnamese Government in participating and implementing the Kyoto Protocol, shall have to perform the following tasks:

a/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and concerned ministries and branches in, formulating and submitting to the Prime Minister in the fourth quarter of 2005 a plan on organization of the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol in the 2006-2010 period, determining Vietnam's priority branches and domains, in line with the national 2006-2010 socio-economic development plan;

b/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and concerned ministries and branches in, studying and forecasting the trading market of "certified emission reductions 'CERs," and to guide agencies, organizations and enterprises in formulating Vietnam's CDM projects for submission to competent authorities for approval;

c/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in, integrating CDM activities in the implementation of other international conventions or commitments on environment which Vietnam has acceded to.

2. The Ministry of Culture and Information to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and mass media in, propagating information and raising public awareness on the threats caused by climate change as well as the responsibilities and benefits when participating in implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and the CDM.

3. The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and concerned ministries and branches in, scrutinizing relevant legal documents and proposing competent authorities to make amendments or supplements thereto, aiming to encourage and facilitate the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol; The Ministry of Justice shall report on this work to the Prime Minister in the first quarter of 2006.

4. The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and concerned ministries and branches in, formulating a scheme on financial mechanisms for CDM projects, providing for preferential tax rates, state credit interest rates and price subsidies so as to encourage domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to invest in CDM projects in Vietnam. The Ministry of Finance shall submit this scheme to the Government in the second quarter of 2006.

5. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and concerned ministries and branches in, formulating a plan on mobilization of domestic and foreign capital for CDM projects in the domains of energy, industry, waste management, transport, agriculture and forestry. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall submit this plan to the Prime Minister in the fourth quarter of 2006.

6. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government-attached agencies and provincial/municipal People Committees shall, within their assigned functions and tasks, take initiative in incorporating CDM activities into their respective development plans.

Ministries, ministerial-level agencies and Government-attached agencies shall have to urgently study, amend, supplement, promulgate or propose competent authorities to promulgate mechanisms and policies under their respective management so as to encourage CDM implementation.

7. Presidents of provincial/municipal People's Committees shall, under the guidance of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and concerned ministries, direct and create conditions for agencies, organizations and enterprises to formulate CDM projects falling under local management.

This Directive takes effect 15 days after its publication in "CONG BAO."

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and Government-attached agencies, and presidents of provincial/municipal People's Committees shall have to organize the implementation of this Directive.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall have to monitor and urge the implementation of this Directive by ministries, branches and localities, and annually report thereon to the Prime Minister.