Ocean cooperation to advance sustainable development

What is your perspective on the connection between ocean protection and sustainable development in the global economy?

I came to Vietnam because I believe the country is a laboratory for what the ocean can represent in terms of economic resources over the next 10 or 20 years. For any country, the ocean is our most valuable asset, both economically and financially. If the ocean were a country, it would be the fifth-largest economy in the world. Countries vary in the length of their coastline, but Vietnam, with its vital proximity to the ocean, has the potential to support its people with food resources and sovereignty while also developing new industries like telecommunications, wind energy, and renewable energy.

France is also a maritime country, with 5,500 km of coastline. Our cooperation in this area holds great promise. President Emmanuel Macron asked me to come here and initiate a maritime dialogue, the first of which will take place shortly. From now on, our two countries will exchange views annually on matters of security, law, economy, and ocean protection. The relationship between Vietnam and France is, therefore, a “blue” one.

The 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), to be held in Nice this year, will be an important opportunity for countries to make commitments. What does France expect from participating countries to promote a green and sustainable economy?

This conference is crucial and as important, perhaps, as the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21). Ten years after COP21, the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference should help us move towards both intelligent and sustainable use of the ocean as well as a broader peace on the ocean. The ocean is a safe space. While sovereignty issues remain, the ocean is in good health and offers many solutions. Unlike the climate, which presents many difficulties and challenges with few immediate solutions other than climate adaptation, the ocean offers numerous solutions for people, health, and essential needs like food. We hope key countries will be present, with around 100 Heads of State and Government expected. The French President will invite Vietnam to UNOC3 as the guest of honor.

What does this conference mean for Vietnam - France relations in marine environmental protection? Could it open up opportunities to strengthen cooperation on environmental protection and sustainable development projects?

Absolutely, and I believe it starts with science. We know far more about the Moon than the ocean. Our goal is to develop scientific cooperation with Vietnam, particularly due to its important coastline. We would love to help Vietnam access the French oceanographic fleet and scientific vessels to collect the data it may need. We also propose that it join the International Panel on Ocean Sustainability, a platform hosted by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, which will provide an ocean health report to guide decision-making for leaders.

How can marine environmental protection initiatives play a role in sustainable economic development in Vietnam and other developing countries?

We must address the emerging threats, especially rising sea levels, which concern many countries, particularly the Mekong Delta, where the land is barely one meter above sea level. This is a significant issue.

During UNOC3, we will host the first summit of coastal regions and cities affected by sea level rises caused by polar melting and water warming. Nearly 500 governors and political leaders from around the world, representing almost 1 billion people threatened by the rise in sea levels, will attend. The 20 million people in the Mekong Delta are especially impacted. Another important issue is the fishing industry and small fisheries, which sustain local communities. To ensure food sovereignty for your population of 100 million, developing aquaculture is crucial. Vietnam has already made significant progress, and we’d be happy to cooperate in further developing it.

How can France support Vietnam’s sustainable development efforts with technologies and policies to tackle marine pollution and resource management?

I believe digital technology plays a key role today. We are working on the European Digital Twin of the Ocean, which aims to model the ocean’s multiple components and provide knowledge and understanding of the past and present and offer trustworthy predictions of its future behavior. By gathering all available ocean data, we can track real-time changes in currents, species movements, plastic pollution, and more. This will allow us to visually monitor your coastline with just one click, enabling us to understand and intervene in the ocean without direct contact. The Digital Twin, funded by the European Commission, will be freely accessible to members. I propose that Vietnam join this groundbreaking intergovernmental initiative to enhance our understanding of the ocean.

Economic development and environmental protection can sometimes be in conflict. How can countries find a balance between economic growth and the preservation of marine ecosystems?

Vietnam’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2045, covering 20 years, will allow the country to shift from annual thinking to a long-term vision. In this 20-year vision, there is economic growth that will obviously make Vietnam a great economic partner and a developed country, but it must also consider sustainable resources management.

Resources are not exhaustible, so Vietnam must think about development based on resources that regenerate. If we take, for example, the issue of fishing, it is important to fish legally, avoid overfishing, and catch certain species at specific times. Ultimately, the goal is to use resources sustainably, which also applies to genetic resources or mineral resources.

Therefore, it is crucial to understand that, in 20 years, Vietnam will become an economic powerhouse, and it will achieve this even more so if its resources are sustainable. This is the challenge, because there is a tendency to think that development must come first. In fact, both must happen simultaneously, and many countries are already doing this, balancing development with ecosystem preservation, and this approach should be followed.

What policies has France implemented to reduce the negative impact of economic activities on marine ecosystems, and what could Vietnam learn from its experience?

In France, to reduce the impact of industrial pollution that harms marine ecosystems, we avoid consuming certain flora and fauna and prevent plastics or chemical pollution from escaping. Waste management is very important, especially as the global population will reach 10 billion by 2050, with 75 per cent living near the ocean. Therefore, we really need to think about effective sanitation systems that don’t discharge wastewater into the ocean but treat it beforehand. Without this, we are condemning our oceans, leading to dead seas or polluted waters, uninhabitable beaches, and less tourism. This is happening very quickly. Beaches are disappearing because of rising sea levels, both in your country and ours.

We really need to rethink human activity, understanding that the ocean is not a garbage dump where we throw away waste but a true cradle of life and regeneration. We must replant mangroves, restore these fragile ecosystems. Once healthy, the ocean produces species, genetic resources, and oxygen to help us breathe.

Vietnam is making efforts to become an exemplary country in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of reducing plastic waste in the oceans. What do you think of this goal and, in your opinion, what should be done to achieve the objective?

The problem with the ocean is that there is only one, so you cannot just reduce your own pollution because the pollution from others will still come. It is essential for Vietnam to be exemplary, as the country wishes to be, and to establish regional cooperation frameworks, which is very important, at least at the basic level. We cannot think of ocean preservation on our own because the ocean has no borders, fish have no borders, and unfortunately, pollution has no borders either. That is why it is crucial to ensure peace, which is not always simple. The more regional cooperation you have, the more you can create a sustainable ocean.