Balancing the Scales: How Vietnam’s Energy Transition Policies Address Equity

Vietnam has made many commitments to energy transition, as reflected in legal documents such as the Power Development Plan VIII and National Energy Master Plan for the 2021–2030 Period With a Vision to 2050. However, no studies have evaluated whether energy-transition documents issued by the government sufficiently incorporate the equity elements. To fill in the gap, this chapter examines Vietnam’s existing energy transition policies, with an emphasis on five equity aspects, including distributional justice, recognition justice, procedural justice, economic equity, and power dynamics. It also analyses the main concepts, themes, and current gaps. Out of 615 relevant documents, nine were scrutinized and demonstrated notable similarities and differences in terms of themes, concepts, and equity considerations. The chapter revealed eight recurrent focuses across all documents, including energy transition institutional frameworks and policies; climate resilience and green opportunities; human resource development; science and technology improvement; regional prosperity and inclusivity; social safety nets and well-being; communication, awareness, and community engagement; and economic diversification and revitalization. The emphasis on equity dimensions was limited in all publications. Further efforts are imperative to ensure the policy framework reflects a commitment to support the affected communities and enhance public engagement in the energy transition process. While improvements on institutional policies and technical solutions have been addressed more comprehensively in the Vietnamese legal documents, more attention should be brought to the socio-economic burdens affecting certain communities. Connecting social priorities with energy transition is crucial to create effective policies and prompt actions that benefit different social groups.