LocationsSpeech by Ms. Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam
- Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan - Director General, International Cooperation Department, MONRE
- Mr. Xuan Dich - Deputy Director General, National Agency for Technology entrepreneurship and Commercialization development (NATEC), MOST
- Ms. Anna Dear – Director of Community and Stakeholders, ASEAN & South Pacific of the Coca-Cola Company
- Ms. Ellen Martin - Chief Impact Officer, The Circulate Capital
- Esteemed representatives from government agencies, development organizations, NGOs, CBOs, academia, businesses, innovators, investors and young students from universities
- Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning! Xin chào!
It is a pleasure to welcome you all to the launch of the Plastics Innovation Programme. Thank you for joining us today as we collectively address one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time
Plastic pollution.
Plastic pollution is placing heavy pressure on our living environment and hindering sustainable development.
This is the case in most countries around the world, including Viet Nam.
Innovations can be a major enabler in the transition away from this challenge. However, the development, adoption, replication and scaling of these solutions remains limited.
Only about one third of innovative solutions are ready for scaling-up in Viet Nam, according to a recent UNDP survey. Adding to the challenges is that investment in such innovations is both fragmented and limited, primary focusing on concept development and pilot phases.
This underscores the urgent need to improve the promotion of meaningful and innovative initiative for plastic pollution, with investment and acceleration from diverse stakeholders at both local and national levels.
Ladies and gentlemen,
UNDP Viet Nam is proud to officially launch the Plastics Innovation Programme, an initiative designed to experiment and promote cutting-edge solutions aimed at reducing plastic waste generation, encouraging sustainable alternatives, and advancing circular economy practices to combat plastic pollution effectively.
Through the Programme, we expect to:
- First, source innovative solutions from a diverse range of stakeholders. Building on previous innovation efforts, the programme will further raise awareness and strengthen Viet Nam’s innovation ecosystem to effectively tackle plastic pollution.
- Secondly, we would like to address the entire plastics lifecycle, from alternative materials, eco-design, new business models to advanced technologies, waste management systems, recycling, and financing mechanisms. A comprehensive approach is needed, with multiple solutions implemented simultaneously for maximum impact.
- And Last but not least, we aim to strengthen the policy framework to enable those innovations and scale up effective solutions. Our strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Science and Technology, ensure alignment with national policies and provides guidance to innovators on regulatory integration and augmentation.
We are grateful for the strong collaboration from different partners, specifically the UN Peace and Development Fund with the contributions from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
Big thanks to The Coca-Cola Foundation for invaluable support through the regional project that launched last month in India. This partnership highlights the pivotal role the private sector can play in driving innovative solutions and sustainable impact.
UNDP would also like to express sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and The Circulate Capital for working closely to boost effective and inclusive solutions for driving plastic circularity.
Let us recommit to transforming challenges into opportunities and creating a more sustainable future for Viet Nam and beyond.
Thank you so much – Xin cảm ơn!
