Clean Air Asia, with support from the Vietnam Clean Air Partnership (VCAP), met with key stakeholders early in October 2022 to discuss the development of new emission standards in Vietnam and the implementation of Best Available Techniques (BATs) for coal-fired power plants (CFPs).
The initiative is in line of the Vietnam government’s efforts in implementing its updated Law on Environmental Protection 2020, Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP, and in anticipation of more stringent emission standards to be implemented.
Under the ‘Pathways for Clean Air and Clean Energy (PCACE)’ project in Vietnam, Clean Air Asia will lead in the development of BAT implementation reference document for CFPs in the country, taking into consideration some of the challenges raised during the technical meeting such as: (a) the collection and validation of required data; (b) categorization of CFPs; and (c) the need for policy impact assessment.
Clean Air Asia Deputy Executive Director Glynda Bathan-Baterina demonstrated the organization’s unwavering commitment in assisting Vietnam’s goals for healthier air and clean energy.
“We, together with VCAP, are intent to continue providing technical support to the Vietnam government and build on the success of past projects in the country,” she said during the handover of the Letter of Cooperation to Vietnam Environment Administration.
Clean Air Asia and VCAP also organized a training program for the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment (DONREs) representing nine provinces in Vietnam on the monitoring and data management of air pollutant emissions.
Dr. Pham Bich Thao, Clean Air Asia’s regional expert, provided two training sessions on emissions data collection and data analysis using tools, while Engr. Christopher James, formerly from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), delivered a session on the best practices on CFP facility inspection, compliance checking, and data sharing protocols.
In addition, the training also provided the participants with accessible online resources where they can further learn about emissions modelling and US EPA protocols on facility inspection and data handling.
PCACE – now on its fourth phase of implementation – aims to provide technical support to cities and governments in China, Indonesia, India, and Vietnam. Through this project, Clean Air Asia assists in the implementation of national strategies towards clean air and energy transition, provides capacity building trainings, strengthens the enforcement of emission standards, and provides technical guidance to support science-based policies.