The capital problem slows down the determination to green transformation
In two major cities of our country, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), we have begun to build scenarios for greening public transportation.
As in Hanoi City, the local government is proposing a scenario by 2035 to convert 50% of buses with new opening routes and alternative routes using electric buses and 50% CNG buses, with a total budget. more than 51,000 billion VND.
Ho Chi Minh City also proposed a project that by 2035, the city will complete construction of about 183km with six metro lines. By 2045, an additional 168km will be built, bringing the total metro length to about 350km. By 2060, the city is expected to have 10 metro lines with a total length of 510km. At the same time, Ho Chi Minh City also set a plan that, from 2025 onwards, all replacement and newly invested buses will use electricity and green energy with the rate of public passenger transport in the city reaching 25%. %.
Having the right orientation and understanding the importance of green transportation , the problem of funding for investing in greening the public transportation system in these localities is considered by many experts.
According to experts, although converting gasoline buses to using LNG/CNG gas is cleaner, it is still essentially one fossil fuel to another, even buses using CNG gas only emit emissions. 20% less than gasoline-powered buses.
Dr. Hoang Duong Tung - Chairman of Vietnam Clean Air Network, former Deputy Director of the General Department of Environment - also said that some countries in the world used to use CNG buses but have converted to electric buses. and other green means.
However, if converting 100% to electric buses, cities face a huge funding problem. As estimated by the Hanoi Department of Transport, converting 2,433 buses requires about 60,000 billion VND.
However, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Hien, Deputy Director of the Institute of Transportation Strategy and Development, is still optimistic that with current technological advances, the cost of electric vehicles will decrease significantly.
Worth mentioning, the investment scenario of 50% electric buses and 50% LNG/CNG buses has some worrying points. Because in terms of investment costs and investment items, both types of buses must have gas pumping stations and charging stations, with similar costs.
Meanwhile, by 2035, CNG buses will have to be abandoned in favor of electric buses. Investment in these gas pumping stations will have to be abandoned, causing waste.
Motivation comes from within and opportunities come
In fact, to implement Vietnam's commitments at COP26, our Government has a plan and action program on green energy conversion, reducing carbon and methane emissions of the transportation sector as shown in this article. Decision No. 876/QD-TTg issued on July 22, 2022. The Ministry of Transport has also made decisions to implement these programs and plans.
After 2 years of implementing Decision 876, it has proven that this policy is an important pillar and an internal driving force to develop a green transportation system, promoting the active participation of businesses along with the International support in promoting the electrification of road transport vehicles in Vietnam.
Vietnam has seen a surge in electric vehicle usage - increasing from 138 in 2019 to more than 28,000 electric vehicles and 3,557 hybrid vehicles in September 2023, along with more than 2 million electric motorbikes. The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) forecasts that Vietnam will reach the milestone of 1 million electric vehicles around 2028 and about 3.5 million electric vehicles by 2040.
Private and pioneering enterprises like VinFast have actively contributed to this transition by promoting domestic electric vehicle production, building charging station infrastructure nationwide, and setting new standards in the industry. environmental - social - corporate governance (ESG) activities. To date, many other domestic and international manufacturing enterprises have also participated in the green transportation transition process, contributing to the initial success of the green transition process in Vietnam.
According to experts, the requirement is to research and propose strategies and solutions to address challenges related to capital mobilization, mechanisms and policies to call and attract investors. , a partner with international experience.
Previously, at the end of June 2024, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang received and worked with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union to Vietnam Julien Guerrier on promoting cooperation between the two sides in the field of transport. At the meeting, Ambassador Julien Guerrier said that the EU has a Global Gateway Initiative on green investment and sustainable development, expected to mobilize about 300 billion euros by 2027 to invest in key fields such as digital technology, health, transportation, climate, energy, and education.
The EU hopes that through this initiative, it can mobilize capital to support Vietnam in implementing green transformation solutions to realize the ambition of net zero emissions by 2050. In particular, the transportation sector supports the solutions and projects with the goal of promoting resilient, sustainable, and safe transportation infrastructure in all fields of road, rail, maritime, inland waterways, and aviation.
