Vietnam strengthens Steering Committee to drive COP26 implementation

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has restructured the national body overseeing COP26 commitments, appointing the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment as its Standing Agency.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just signed a decision to restructure the National Steering Committee tasked with implementing Vietnam’s commitments under the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

According to the decision, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is the Committee Chair, with Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha serving as Vice Chair.

The members include: Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang (Standing Member); Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son; Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh; Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan; Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung; Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son; Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong; Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defense, General Nguyen Tan Cuong; Deputy Minister of Public Security, Senior Lieutenant General Pham The Tung; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang; Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh; Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Manh Khuong; President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Chau Van Minh; and President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pham Tan Cong.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, as the Standing Agency, is responsible for organizing and implementing the Steering Committee’s tasks with its current resources. The Minister of Agriculture and Environment will establish and issue the working regulations of the Task Force that supports the Steering Committee, with the Minister serving as Head of the Task Force. Members will include department-level leaders from relevant ministries and agencies.

This decision took effect on August 12, 2025.

The Steering Committee is responsible for directing and coordinating efforts to help the Government and the Prime Minister implement Vietnam’s COP26 commitments; strengthening coordination among ministries, sectors, and localities; and advancing cooperation between Vietnam and international organizations, development partners, and other countries.

It will also oversee the review and completion of mechanisms, policies, laws, strategies, and plans, while promoting administrative reforms to create favorable conditions for mobilizing financial and technological support and attracting investment flows into climate resilience infrastructure, development model transformation, and energy transition. The Committee will direct the implementation of priority programs and projects on climate change response and energy transition in line with Vietnam’s COP26 commitments, as well as resolve inter-sectoral and inter-provincial procedures to shorten administrative processing times for investors.

Khanh Ly