Enhancing Vietnam’s financial policies for climate change response: Gaps, challenges, and legal recommendations
Authors
-
Nam Phuong Phan
Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, Ho Chi Minh Cityhttps://orcid.org/0009-0009-6293-0899
- Duong Van Nguyen nvduonglaw@gmail.com
Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, Ho Chi Minh Cityhttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-6494-7549DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46223/HCMCOUJS.soci.en.16.1.3851.2026Keywords:
carbon tax, climate finance, environmental policy, green bonds, VietnamAbstract
This article investigates Vietnam’s financial policies in the context of climate change response, focusing on their objectives, methodologies, and outcomes. The primary aim is to analyze the use of fiscal tools such as carbon taxes and financial instruments like green bonds to support climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. Employing a qualitative approach, the study integrates doctrinal legal analysis and comparative methods to evaluate Vietnam’s regulatory frameworks against international best practices. The findings indicate significant limitations, including the lack of a dedicated carbon tax and underdeveloped guidelines for green bond issuance, particularly for local authorities. These gaps hinder Vietnam’s ability to mobilize financial resources effectively and address climate-related challenges. The study concludes by offering targeted recommendations, such as implementing a carbon tax policy aligned with global standards and strengthening regulations on green bonds to ensure transparency and accountability. These improvements are crucial for enhancing Vietnam’s resilience to climate change and achieving sustainable development goals.
References
Asen, E. (2020). Carbon taxes in Europe. https://taxfoundation.org/carbon-taxes-in-europe-2020/
Christian, A. C. (1992). Designing carbon tax: The introduction of the Carbon-Burned Tax (CBT). UCLA Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 10(2), 221-282.
Committee on Science, Technology and Environment of the National Assembly. (2017). Responding to climate change in Vietnam. Youth Publishing House.
Do, T. (n.d.). Những tác động tới sức khỏe của biến đổi khí hậu [The health impacts of climate change]. https://vihema.gov.vn/nhung-tac-dong-toi-suc-khoe-cua-bien-doi-khi-hau.html
Government of Vietnam. (2018). Decree No. 95/2018/ND-CP on the issuance, registration, depository, listing, and trading of government debt instruments in the securities market. https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/Chung-khoan/Decree-95-2018-ND-CP-issuance-registration-trading-government-debt-instruments-securities-market-389688.aspx
Government of Vietnam. (2020). Decree No. 153/2020/ND-CP on the private offering and trading of corporate bonds in the domestic and international markets. https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/EN/Chung-khoan/Decree-153-2020-ND-CP-trading-of-privately-placed-corporate-bonds-in-domestic-market/463083/tieng-anh.aspx
Ho Chi Minh City University of Law. (2015). Giáo trình Luật thuế [Tax law textbook]. Hong Duc Publishing House.
Ho, T. N. (n.d.). Đề xuất thuế carbon đối với hàng hóa nhập khẩu ở các nước thành viên Liên minh châu Âu và tác động đến kinh tế thương mại Việt Nam [The proposed carbon tax on imported goods in European Union member states and its impact on Vietnam’s economy and trade]. http://tapchinganhang.gov.vn/de-xuat-thue-carbon-doi-voi-hang-hoa-nhap-khau-o-cac-nuoc-thanh-vien-lien-minh-chau-au-va-tac-dong-d.htm
Kerr, A. R. (2010). Why we need a carbon tax. Environs: Environmental Law and Policy Journal, 34(1), 69-98.
Ministry of Finance. (2014a). Circular No. 119/2014/TT-BTC dated August 25, 2014, on amendments and simplifications of tax administrative procedures. https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/EN/Thue-Phi-Le-Phi/Circular-No-119-2014-TT-BTC-amendments-to-Circular-in-order-to-simplify-tax-formalities/247891/tieng-anh.aspx
Ministry of Finance. (2014b). Circular No. 151/2014/TT-BTC dated October 10, 2014, on guidance for corporate income tax policies under Decree No. 91/2014/ND-CP. https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/Doanh-nghiep/Circular-No-151-2014-TT-BTC-on-providing-guidance-No-91-2014-ND-CP-amendments-to-Decrees-on-taxation-258054.aspx
Ministry of Finance. (2014c). Circular No. 78/2014/TT-BTC dated June 18, 2014, on government regulations and guidelines for implementation of the law on enterprise income tax. https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/Doanh-nghiep/Thong-tu-78-2014-TT-BTC-huong-dan-218-2013-ND-CP-thi-hanh-Luat-Thue-thu-nhap-doanh-nghiep-236976.aspx
Ministry of Finance. (2014d). Circular No. No. 96/2015/TT-BTC dated June 22, 2014, on guiding corporate income tax under Decree No. 12/2015/ND-CP dated February 12, 2015, of the Government, which provides detailed regulations on the implementation of the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of various Tax Laws, and amends and supplements a number of articles of Decrees on taxes, and amends and supplements a number of articles of Circular No. 78/2014/TT-BTC dated June 18, 2014, Circular No. 119/2014/TT-BTC dated August 25, 2014, and Circular No. 151/2014/TT-BTC dated October 10, 2014. https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/Doanh-nghiep/Thong-tu-96-2015-TT-BTC-huong-dan-thue-thu-nhap-doanh-nghiep-tai-Nghi-dinh-12-2015-ND-CP-279331.aspx
National Assembly of Vietnam. (2008). Law on special consumption tax No. 27/2008/QH12, amended and supplemented by Law No. 106/2016/QH13 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Value-Added Tax, the Law on Special Consumption Tax, and the Law on Tax Administration. https://vanbanphapluat.co/law-no-27-2008-qh12-of-november-14-2008-on-excise-tax
National Assembly of Vietnam. (2010). Environmental protection tax law (Law No. 57/2010/QH12). https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/Thue-Phi-Le-Phi/Law-No-57-2010-QH12-Environmental-protection-Tax-123975.aspx#:~:text=see%20English%20documents.-,1.,per%20unit% 20of%20taxable%20goods.
National Assembly of Vietnam. (2020). Law on environmental protection (Law No. 72/2020/QH14). https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/?pageid=27160&docid=202613&classid=1&orggroupid=1
Nguyen, D. V. (2024). Đề xuất khung pháp luật về thuế carbon cho Việt Nam [Proposal for a legal framework on carbon tax for Vietnam] (Master’s thesis). Ho Chi Minh City University of Law.
Nguyen, H. T. T. (2022). Thuế carbon - Công cụ kinh tế hiệu quả trong việc thúc đẩy giảm phát thải khí nhà kính [Carbon tax: An effective economic tool to promote greenhouse gas emission reduction]. https://tapchicongthuong.vn/thue-carbon-cong-cu-kinh-te-hieu-qua-trong-viec-thuc-day-giam-phat-thai-khi-nha-kinh-99069.htm
Nguyen, N. T. H. (n.d.). Trách nhiệm xã hội của doanh nghiệp và quyết định mua hàng của người tiêu dùng tại thị trường Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh [Corporate social responsibility and consumer purchasing decisions in Ho Chi Minh City market]. http://tapchicongthuong.vn/bai-viet/trach-nhiem-xa-hoi-cua-doanh-nghiep-va-quyet-dinh-mua-hang-cua-nguoi-tieu-dung-tai-thi-truong-thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-81641.htm
Nguyen, P. T. (n.d.). Chống biến đổi khí hậu: Chung tay hành động trước khi quá muộn [Combating climate change: Joining hands for action before it’s too late]. https://www.tapchicongsan.org.vn/web/guest/quoc-phong-an-ninh-oi-ngoai1/-/2018/823509/chong-bien-doi-khi-hau--chung-tay-hanh-dong-truoc-khi-qua-muon.aspx
Park, S. K. (2018). Investors as regulators: Green bonds and the governance challenges of the sustainable finance revolution. Stanford Journal of International Law, 54(1), 1-48.
Pham, D. T., & Le, H. M. (2019). Trái phiếu xanh: Công cụ thúc đẩy phát triển năng lượng tái tạo tại Việt Nam [Green bonds: A tool to promote renewable energy development in Vietnam]. Tạp chí Ngân hàng, 24.
Phan, A. (2021). Singapore thúc đẩy các mục tiêu phát triển bền vững toàn cầu [Singapore drives global sustainable development goals]. https://baotintuc.vn/the-gioi/singapore-thuc-day-cac-muc-tieu-phat-trien-ben-vung-toan-cau-20210424133654141.htm
Posner, E. A., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Climate change justice. Georgetown Law Journal, 96(5), 1565-1612.
Sharma, S. (2020). Formulation of fiscal policy in a country and its implications for business organizations: An Indian perspective. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3619837
Sheffield, P. E., Durante, K. T., Rahona, E., & Zarcadoolas, C. (2014). Emerging roles of health care providers to mitigate climate change impacts: Perspective from East Harlem, New York. Health and Human Rights Journal, 16(1), 113-121.
Steier, G. (2018). The carbon tax vacuum and the debate about climate change impacts: Emission taxation of commodity crop production in food system regulation. Pace Environmental Law Review, 35, Article 346.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). (1992). United nations framework convention on climate change. https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/ convkp/conveng.pdf
Vo, T. T. (2014). Về nguyên tắc Người gây ô nhiễm phải trả tiền - Kinh nghiệm nước ngoài và những vấn đề pháp lý đặt ra đối với Việt Nam [In principle, the polluter must pay - Foreign experience and legal issues for Vietnam]. https://tapchikhplvn.hcmulaw.edu.vn /module/xemchitietbaibao?oid=e3e7d988-fa1c-424f-93f4-0e009907952b
Zimmer, M. J. (2008). Carbon tax: Ready for prime time. Sustainable Development Law & Policy, 8(2), 67-72.
Downloads
Received: 2024-11-12Accepted: 2024-12-31Published: 2025-01-15Statistics Views
Abstract: 292 PDF: 0How to Cite
Phan, N. P., & Nguyen, D. V. (2025). Enhancing Vietnam’s financial policies for climate change response: Gaps, challenges, and legal recommendations. HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE - SOCIAL SCIENCES, 16(1), 44–58. https://doi.org/10.46223/HCMCOUJS.soci.en.16.1.3851.2026License
Copyright (c) 2025 HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE - SOCIAL SCIENCES

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© The Author(s) 2025. This is an open access publication under CC BY NC licence.
- Duong Van Nguyen nvduonglaw@gmail.com
