Climate change, resource scarcity, and global trade tensions are increasingly testing the resilience of the world economy. Yet, one reality remains - sustainable growth must come from within, through stronger economies, deeper partnerships, and shared goals.

Against this backdrop, EuroCham will convene GEF 2025 as part of its flagship green initiative, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, and innovators to turn climate ambitions into actionable solutions.

In an open letter, EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert stressed that the urgency of the green transition has never been clearer. Vietnam is experiencing first-hand the escalating impacts of climate change on livelihoods and economic stability. In the first ten months of 2025 alone, natural disasters, floods, and extreme weather caused more than US$1.3 billion in damage, disrupted supply chains, and severely affected transport and urban infrastructure.

“Sustainability is no longer a distant ambition. It is today’s responsibility for all of us,” he stressed.

However, amid these challenges lies a critical opportunity. The green transition could become one of Vietnam’s strongest growth drivers in the decades ahead. Europe offers a blueprint, with frameworks such as the European Green Deal mobilising at least EUR1 trillion in sustainable investment, and the Global Gateway Initiative, which allocates EUR300 billion for strategic partnerships.

Vietnam, he noted, is fully capable of shaping its own development path and building a more climate-resilient economy. As global value chains are reconfigured through Europe’s green policies, Vietnam is well positioned to tap into supply-chain shifts driven by risk reduction.

The country has already taken bold steps: a Net Zero by 2050 pledge at COP26 supported by the National Strategy for Green Growth, Power Development Plan VIII targeting 47% renewable energy by 2030, and a carbon market roadmap towards full operations by 2029. At the same time, the country has become one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, attracting over US$31.5 billion in FDI in the first ten months of 2025. Vietnam is surfing a wave of change and relentless growth, creating real momentum.

At this pivotal moment, Jaspaert stressed the need for bold, strategic choices and long-term commitments to sustainability. More than a conference, he said, GEF 2025 represents the power of trust and cooperation, an example of what Vietnam and Europe can achieve when they share a common vision.

Held in the year marking the 35th anniversary of Vietnam–EU diplomatic relations, the forum will call on policymakers, businesses, innovators, and communities to translate climate commitments into measurable results. This year’s theme “Shaping Changes, Building Futures” reflects that spirit of leadership and action.

European investment in Vietnam, he added, is increasingly directed toward sectors that advance sustainable development, creating long-term value for future generations. Not only major corporations but also a growing number of small and medium-sized enterprises are embracing green, root-level innovation to help build a more sustainable future.

Key frameworks such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) continue to align economic and environmental priorities between the EU and Vietnam.

The Green Economy Forum builds on the legacy of EuroCham’s Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE), first launched in 2022 to facilitate open dialogue between public- and private-sector stakeholders on climate resilience and sustainable investment.

Over three editions - GEFE 2022, GEF 2023, and GEFE 2024 - the platform has attracted high-level participants, including Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (now NATO Secretary General), and EU Commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis, Margaritis Schinas, and Virginijus Sinkevičius.

The 2025 edition is expected to elevate these discussions with a more focused and high-level format.

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