Vietnam eliminates approximately 240 million tons of CO₂ equivalent

As of August 2025, Vietnam has eliminated around 240 million tons of CO₂ equivalent through activities related to the management and phase-out of controlled substances under the Montreal Protocol.

This information was announced by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh at the national workshop themed “Ozone Layer Protection Towards Green Transition: Promoting Intergovernmental and Public–Private Cooperation” held on September 15 in Ha Noi.

Further elimination of 11 million tons of CO₂ equivalent

Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh stated that Viet Nam joined the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol in 1994. Over the past three decades, with international support, the country has successfully phased out numerous ozone-depleting substances in line with its commitments.

Specifically, Vietnam completely phased out CFCs, Halons, and carbon tetrachloride (CTC) by 2010; eliminated pure HCFC-141b in foam production by 2015; and only permits the use of methyl bromide for agricultural quarantine purposes.

Ozone layer protection requirements have been codified into the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection and further detailed through implementing documents such as Decree No. 06/2022/ND-CP on greenhouse gas emissions reduction and ozone layer protection, along with related circulars and technical regulations.

Most recently, the Government issued Decree No. 119/2025/ND-CP to further strengthen the legal framework and facilitate enterprises and stakeholders in implementation. In parallel, Viet Nam has also promulgated and applied numerous national standards and technical regulations on the safe production and use of controlled substances.

According to the International Ozone Secretariat, since Vietnam acceded to the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol until August 2025, the country has contributed to preventing emissions equivalent to 240 million tons of CO₂.

In the next stage, under the National plan on the management and phase-out of ozone-depleting substances and controlled greenhouse gases for 2024 - 2045, Viet Nam aims to completely eliminate HCFCs and directly reduce more than 11 million tons of CO₂ equivalent from HFC consumption.

For HCFCs, beginning in 2025, Vietnam has applied an import quota of 1,300 tons/year, to be maintained until the end of 2029, corresponding to a 67.5% reduction. From 2030 to 2039, the average import quota will fall to 100 tons/year, leading to complete elimination of HCFCs by 2040.

For HFCs, the baseline import quota will remain from 2024 - 2028, equivalent to 13.9 million tons of CO₂ (CO₂e), then gradually decline until 2045, when imports may not exceed 2.8 million tons of CO₂e. Methyl bromide imports are restricted to quarantine and fumigation uses only, with consumption reduced by 10% by 2029 and 80% phased out by 2045.

Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh affirmed that these results demonstrate Vietnam’s adherence to the roadmap of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, as well as its active cooperation with countries worldwide.

International cooperation

The phase-out of ozone-depleting substances in Vietnam has been made possible with substantial technical and financial support from the international community.

According to Ms. Tina Chondraki Birmpili, Executive Secretary of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the Fund has maintained long-term cooperation with Viet Nam through 90 approved projects worth around USD 30 million. The Fund’s support has focused on developing the legal and technical framework to meet the Protocol’s requirements, helping Viet Nam design management strategies and phase-out plans for ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases.

Recently, the Fund introduced new support for Vietnam’s Kigali Amendment Implementation Action Plan. Viet Nam is among the first countries to propose such a plan, emphasizing energy efficiency and savings. Both sides will continue working together towards approval of the proposals in the near future.

Mr. John Robert Cotton, Deputy Director of the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP), noted that his agency is working with Vietnam’s Department of Climate Change to build a National Cooling Action Plan. This plan emphasizes improving the energy efficiency of active cooling technologies and strengthening refrigerant management. It also supports cold chain development and promotes passive cooling solutions through climate-responsive building design, nature-based solutions, and effective urban planning. The plan aims to establish a unified national strategy for sustainable cooling that both reduces emissions and enhances urban resilience to climate impacts.

Thanks to government efforts and international support, many Vietnamese enterprises have invested in new technologies to phase out controlled substances. Some foreign-invested companies, with advanced technology and expertise, are helping accelerate this transition. Regulatory agencies will continue to build and apply relevant standards and technical regulations, including those addressing refrigerant lifecycle management.

Mr. Tang The Cuong, Director General of the Department of Climate Change, affirmed that the Department will continue collaborating with international partners to connect cooperation and help businesses access advanced technologies. The emission reductions from refrigerant transition and sustainable cooling can potentially be registered as carbon credits or Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) for trading on the global carbon market. This will provide an important basis for strengthening state management while encouraging greater private sector engagement in ozone protection and greenhouse gas reduction.

The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (September 16, 2025) carries the message: “40 Years of the Vienna Convention – From Science to Global Action.” To mark the occasion, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment organized a national workshop on “Ozone Layer Protection Towards Green Transition: Promoting Intergovernmental and Public–Private Cooperation,” the 2025 International Exhibition on Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, as well as public communication activities including banners, publications, and media campaigns. The Vienna Convention (1985) is a global framework agreement promoting international cooperation on ozone protection. The Montreal Protocol (1987) is a binding treaty specifying concrete obligations to gradually eliminate ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs and HCFCs. To strengthen implementation, parties adopted the Kigali Amendment in 2016. The Montreal Protocol is regarded as one of the most successful UN treaties, ratified by nearly all countries.

Khanh Ly