Just Transitions and Coal Power Phase Out in Vietnam

The report analyzes Vietnam's increasing reliance on coal, which grew from 18% of the electricity mix in 2010 to over 50% in 2020, and the subsequent need for a 'just transition' to protect vulnerable workers and communities. It identifies key stakeholders, including 122,000 coal industry workers, and highlights the specific vulnerability of the Northern regions like Quang Ninh. The document argues that while a transition would improve public health and the national trade balance, it requires comprehensive planning, re-skilling programs, and international financial support, such as the $15.5 billion JETP deal, to avoid increasing inequality.

• Vietnam's dependence on coal-fired energy plants increased significantly between 2010 and 2020, rising from 18% to over 50% of the electricity generation mix.
• The coal industry employs approximately 122,000 workers, and the transition will specifically impact those in the North, particularly in the Quang Ninh basin and Red River Delta, where the oldest plants are located.
• A phase-out of coal power could yield substantial public health benefits, potentially avoiding over 1,500 premature deaths and 750 asthma cases annually, while reducing medical and sick leave costs by $270 million per year.
• Workers at the three oldest coal plants (Ninh Binh, Pha Lai, and Uong Bi) are particularly vulnerable; 57% of the 2,013 employees at these sites have education levels below the university standard.
• Coal mining has caused severe ecological damage in the Quang Ninh region, including the destruction of hundreds of square kilometers of forests and pollution of Ha Long Bay.
• Vietnam has made several international climate commitments, including a pledge at COP26 to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and a $15.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) deal to phase out unabated coal.
• Transitioning to green energy would improve Vietnam's national trade balance by reducing spending on coal imports, which cost approximately $5 billion in the first seven months of 2022.

APA

Anh, N. T. M., & Nhien, N. T. T. (2022). Just Transitions and Coal Power Phase Out in Vietnam. Climate Strategies. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Just-Transitions-and-Coal-Power-Phase-Out-in-Vietnam_v2.pdf

Chicago

Anh, Nguyen Thi Mai, and Ngo Thi To Nhien. Just Transitions and Coal Power Phase Out in Vietnam. Climate Strategies, 2022. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Just-Transitions-and-Coal-Power-Phase-Out-in-Vietnam_v2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Anh |first1=Nguyen Thi Mai |last2=Nhien |first2=Ngo Thi To |title=Just Transitions and Coal Power Phase Out in Vietnam |publisher=Climate Strategies |date=2022 |url=https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Just-Transitions-and-Coal-Power-Phase-Out-in-Vietnam_v2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{anh2022just, author = {Anh, Nguyen Thi Mai and Nhien, Ngo Thi To}, title = {{Just Transitions and Coal Power Phase Out in Vietnam}}, institution = {Climate Strategies}, year = {2022}, url = {https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Just-Transitions-and-Coal-Power-Phase-Out-in-Vietnam_v2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }