Maximizing the Co-Benefits of Climate Action by Enhancing the NDCs of Vietnam and other ASEAN Member States

The update of Vietnam’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) can serve as a role model for putting the socio-economic opportunities and co-benefits of climate action into focus. Among five ASEAN Member States (AMS) (Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam and Cambodia), Vietnam (and Cambodia to some extent) has incorporated a new section into its updated NDC which highlights the socio-economic co-benefits of climate action for the country. The other ASEAN Member States (AMS) should follow this lead. ,By making socio-economic opportunities part of their NDCs, the AMS could validate the multiple benefits of ambitious climate action while enhancing their national climate policies. Apart from revealing potential opportunities and rallying domestic support for climate action, addressing the co-benefits in NDC-related communications could spark emulation around the world and contribute to creating a global momentum towards building strong alliances for ambitious and early climate action.