City-Level Scientific Conference: “Promoting Sustainable Forestry Development towards Net Zero by 2050”

Author: Dinh Tien Tai

On August 6-7, 2026, the Hue Union of Science and Technology Associations (HUSTA), in collaboration with the People’s Committee of A Luoi 2 Commune, organized a city-level scientific conference on the theme “Promoting Sustainable Forestry Development towards Net Zero by 2050”.

The conference was attended by Mr. Le Anh Tuan, Member of the Hue City Party Committee and Secretary of the A Luoi 2 Commune Party Committee; Mr. Ho Van Ngum, Vice Chairman of the A Luoi 2 Commune People’s Committee; Mr. Nguyen Huu Huy, Deputy Head of the Hue City Forest Protection Department; Mr. Tran Van Khuong, Deputy Director of the Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment; representatives of the Ca Mau Forest Protection Department, the Ca Mau Union of Friendship Organizations, the Dak Lak Department of Environmental Protection, and the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam); representatives of the People’s Committees of communes in the A Luoi area; the Hue Sustainable Forest Owners Association (HUE-FOSDA); enterprises operating in the forestry sector; members of the Standing Committee and Executive Committee, representatives of member associations and affiliated science and technology organizations under HUSTA; as well as scientists and researchers who contributed papers to the conference.

At the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021, Viet Nam made a strong commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Forestry and land use play a critical role in Viet Nam’s pathway towards Net Zero, with national targets to reduce emissions by 70% and increase carbon removals by 20% by 2030, while maintaining forests as a major carbon sink through 2050. Sustainable forest management, enhanced carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from forestry activities are therefore key priorities for advancing sustainable forestry development and contributing to Viet Nam’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2050.   

Field Visit to a Forestry Model in A Luoi 2 Commune.

Building on these commitments, Viet Nam has taken concrete steps towards implementation through a range of policies and mechanisms. These include the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which set out the country’s commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and responding to climate change; Government Decree No. 119/2025/ND-CP dated June 9, 2025, on greenhouse gas emissions reduction and ozone layer protection; Prime Minister’s Decision No. 232/QD-TTg dated January 24, 2025, approving the scheme for establishing and developing a carbon market in Viet Nam; and Government Decree No. 180/2026/ND-CP dated May 21, 2026, regulating carbon sequestration and storage services provided by forests.

According to Decision No. 691/QD-UBND dated February 14, 2026, issued by the Hue City People’s Committee on the 2025 forest status, Hue City has 205,458 hectares of natural forests, 77,496 hectares of plantation forests with standing timber, and 23,393 hectares of newly planted areas that have not yet reached forest status, bringing the city’s forest cover to 57.15%. The city currently has more than 14,000 hectares of large-timber forests, over 146,000 hectares of forests managed under sustainable forest management plans, and approximately 15,000 hectares of forests certified under sustainable forest management standards. Hue City is also home to the Tam Giang-Cau Hai Lagoon, the largest lagoon system in Southeast Asia, which holds significant potential for blue carbon and nature-based climate solutions.

Dr. Ho Dac Thai Hoang delivered a presentation on “Forests in Net Zero Architecture: From Cover to Carbon Assets”.

The conference was opened by Dr.Ho Dac Thai Hoang, President of HUSTA. In his opening remarks, Dr. Dang Thanh Phu, Vice President of HUSTA, highlighted the key achievements, opportunities, and challenges in promoting sustainable forestry development and advancing Hue City towards the Net Zero 2050 goal.

The Organizing Committee received 10 conference papers, six of which were selected for oral presentation at the conference, including:

1. “Promoting Sustainable Forestry Development towards Net Zero Emissions by 2050: Experiences and Practical Solutions from A Luoi 2 Commune, Hue City”, presented by Mr. Ho Van Ngum, Vice Chairman of the A Luoi 2 Commune People’s Committee;
2. “Forests in the Architecture of Net Zero: From Forest Cover to High-Integrity Carbon Assets”, presented by Dr. Ho Dac Thai Hoang, President of HUSTA;
3. “Promoting Sustainable Forestry Development towards Net Zero 2050: Practical Experiences and Development Directions for Hue City”, presented by Mr. Nguyen Huu Huy, Deputy Head of the Hue City Forest Protection Department;
4. “Key Issues and Solutions for Advancing Emissions Reduction towards Net Zero 2050: Perspectives from the Hue Sustainable Forest Owners Association”, presented by Mr. Vo Quang Vinh, Deputy Head of the Office of the Hue Sustainable Forest Owners Association (HUE-FOSDA);
5. “Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change Response and the Path towards Net Zero 2050: WWF-Viet Nam’s Forest-to-Sea Approach in Hue City”, presented by Mr. Vu Quoc Anh, World Wide Fund for Nature in Viet Nam (WWF-Viet Nam);
6. “From Forests to Finance: The Conversion Chain in ASEAN Carbon Markets”, presented by Ms. Pallard Betty, Chairwoman and Vision Director at ESGs & Climate Consulting.

Dr. Dang Thanh Phu presented at the conference.

The discussion session, co-chaired by Dr. Dang Thanh Phu and Mr. Ho Van Ngum, Vice Chairman of the A Luoi 2 Commune People’s Committee, focused on five key areas:

1. Improving the quality of natural forests and transitioning plantation forests towards large-timber production with sustainable forest management certification;
2. Integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into land-use and forestry planning, as well as water resource management;
3. Establishing scientific and transparent approaches to measuring and monitoring forest and blue carbon, while improving access to carbon markets;
4. Linking forest conservation with sustainable livelihoods and ensuring that local communities play a central role;
5. Strengthening intersectoral coordination, data sharing, and long-term resource mobilization, including public budgets, climate finance, payments for ecosystem services, and public-private partnerships.
6. 

Mr. Ho Van Ngum presented at the conference.

Drawing on practical experience in forestry development in A Luoi 2 Commune and across Hue City, the conference highlighted several key solutions:

1. Promoting large-timber plantations and native tree species, while expanding the area of forests certified under sustainable forest management standards;
2. Developing forest-based livelihoods, including medicinal plants, non-timber forest products, ecotourism, and agroforestry;
3. Applying GIS, remote sensing, and UAV technology for forest monitoring, developing forest carbon databases, and establishing a Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system;
4. Exploring the development of a Forest Carbon Development Plan for Hue City;
5. Establishing benefit-sharing mechanisms to ensure that local communities directly benefit from carbon sequestration and storage services.

The conference highlighted that Hue City has strong potential to advance sustainable forestry towards the Net Zero 2050 goal, thanks to its high forest cover, extensive natural forests covered by emissions-reduction payment mechanisms, a highly skilled and digitally proficient forest ranger workforce, vast lagoon ecosystems with significant blue carbon potential, and its globally recognized heritage status. However, natural capital can only become valuable climate assets when it is managed effectively and supported by reliable data, accurate measurement, and verification. During the 2026-2031 period, Hue City should integrate the Net Zero 2050 target into its forestry development and broader economic development strategies.

Translated by Thuy Tien