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This new report by InfluenceMap finds that, despite the ambitious 2050 carbon neutrality commitment by the Vietnamese government during COP26, Japanese and South Korean industry players continue to advocate for new investment into liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in Vietnam.
While there is limited transparency and direct disclosure concerning their policy engagement activities in Vietnam, Japanese and South Korean companies appear to utilize a dense network of industry associations and business forums to engage with Vietnamese policymakers. The Japanese and Korean business chambers in Vietnam have consistently called on the government to fast-track and approve new LNG infrastructure projects through PDP8 and other regulatory mechanisms.
The report identifies a range of messaging tactics used by the gas industry to promote unabated fossil gas in Asia as a solution to the region's energy transition needs. They appear to be part of a wider ‘playbook’ used to promote fossil gas for the Asia region by international gas entities and have undergone an evolution in recent years. Since COP26, there has been a significant increase in industry references to LNG as a ‘low carbon’ solution to Vietnam’s energy transition goals. The strategies used in the Asia Pacific region appear to mirror those used by the gas industry globally, raising concerns about the wider impacts on achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement in alignment with IPCC science.
