The forum aims to strengthen the Asia-Europe cooperation on climate change through partnership relations and the existing network; exchange experiences and information; announce the results of adapting to and minimising the impact of climate change and discuss the implementation of the 15^th UN meeting’s decisions with the focus on regional and global solutions.

The ninth Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM9) under the theme “Forging a Closer Asia- European Partnership to Address the Financial and Economic Crisis and Other Global Challenges” in Hanoi last year approved a number of documents including the initiatives to cope with climate change proposed by Vietnam.

The proposals were warmly welcomed by other countries including Denmark, the UK, Indonesia and the European Committee. Afterwards, the Vietnamese Prime Minister assigned the MoNRE to chair the ASEM forum on the issue.

According to national and international experts, Vietnam is among the countries that will be the most severely affected by climate change. The country has actively engaged in regional and global activities to join hands with other communities in the fight against the impact of climate change.

Last year, Vietnam ratified a national programme to deal with climate change. The scenario of rising sea-levels and action plans sketched out by provinces across the country has been highly praised worldwide.