Addressing the event, Phan Van Mai, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, emphasised that with a population of 10 million, the southern city is a leading economic, cultural, educational, scientific, and technology hub of the country.

The city has always exerted great efforts in a bid to build a convenient, safe, and effective working environment for both people and businesses, he said.

However, the locality is also facing challenges such as climate change, traffic congestion, a human resource shortage, and the impact of cyclicality in economic development, he added.

In response to these challenges, Mai said Ho Chi Minh City is restructuring its economy, with a primary focus on developing the green economy as the driving force for sustainable growth and development.

Currently, the city is proposing a strategic framework for green development and is fully committed to allocating its resources in a bid to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Accordingly, the green development framework towards 2030 with a vision to 2050 puts people and businesses at the centre of transformation, focusing on green human resources, green infrastructure, green behavior, and pioneering fields for green transformation, especially a pilot project to turn Can Gio district into the first green locality.

The municipal leader expressed hope that relevant stakeholders, experts, and CEOs would continue to offer their opinions to improve the framework as soon as possible.

Aside from the strategic framework, the city expects to listen to various opinions and recommendations on a number of issues such as green energy conversion, green transportation, wastewater treatment, and carbon credits, Mai noted.

VOV