Vietnam and the UK are positioned to strengthen their partnership in the clean energy sector as both nations work towards ambitious carbon neutrality goals. At the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a new target for the UK to reduce its emissions by 81 percent by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, surpassing the previous 78 percent target. This goal is part of the UK’s broader strategy to become a clean energy superpower by 2030, focusing on offshore wind, solar, and carbon capture technologies.

For Vietnam, the country has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with significant progress already made in renewable energy deployment. At COP26, Vietnam pledged to phase out coal power generation and enhance its green energy strategy. As part of this effort, Vietnam signed the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with the UK and other nations, securing $15.5 billion to aid its transition away from coal. Vietnam’s eighth national power development plan (PDP8) aims for renewable energy to make up 48 percent of the country’s energy mix by 2030, with hopes to increase this to 71 percent by 2050.

The UK and Vietnam's ongoing collaboration, bolstered by the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), presents substantial opportunities for joint projects in offshore wind power, energy storage, and smart grid technologies. With both governments keen to accelerate their clean energy transitions, UK businesses are already showing interest in investing in Vietnam’s renewable energy projects, particularly in offshore wind and green hydrogen.