Enviro News Asia, Hanoi – The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol has approved 93 projects for Vietnam worth a total of USD 30 million, according to an announcement by Ms. Tina Chondraki Birmpili, Head of the Fund’s Secretariat, during a meeting with Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh on September 15 in Hanoi.
Ms. Birmpili stated that additional projects will continue through 2026, noting that Vietnam’s HFC Phase-down Plan, Stage I, will serve as a model for other countries in the region. She emphasized that the Fund has recently expanded its financing to support energy efficiency alongside HFC phase-down efforts, bringing significant financial benefits for both industries and consumers, particularly in refrigeration and air conditioning.
Deputy Minister Thanh welcomed the Fund’s direct support to private enterprises, highlighting that this approach distinguishes the Montreal Protocol from other environmental conventions such as the UNFCCC. He stressed that Vietnam, with its open economy and export-driven growth, is committed to strengthening environmental standards for traded goods.
The Deputy Minister underscored the urgency of advancing cooling technologies that are eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and affordable, given that cooling has become an essential part of daily life. He noted that the Ministry is advising the government on integrating clean technologies across sectors, with a focus on sustainable cooling solutions.
Vietnam is currently implementing three major initiatives under the Montreal Protocol: the Capacity Building Project, the HCFC Phase-out Management Plan Stage III, and the HFC Phase-down Plan Stage I (SMS-MP Project), in cooperation with the World Bank and UNEP. Deputy Minister Thanh urged the Fund to continue supporting these projects, especially the SMS-MP, while also helping Vietnam access new financial mechanisms for lifecycle management and sustainable cooling.
Since its inception, the Multilateral Fund has allocated over USD 4 billion to assist more than 150 countries in eliminating ozone-depleting substances through policy development, capacity building, and technology transfer. (*)
