VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) in conjunction with Australia’s Monash University hosted an international seminar in Hanoi on June 5 to discuss policies to efficiently deal with climate change in Vietnam.

Vietnam is assessed as one of the nations gravely affected by climate change. According to the latest scenario, by the late 21st century, the country will see an average temperature increasing 2.1 to 3.3 degrees Celsius and sea level rising 1 metre from the 1980-1990 period.

Sea level rise would likely flood 40 percent of land area in the Mekong Delta, 11 percent of the Red River area and 3 percent of other coastal provinces. It means that about 12 percent of the population would be affected directly and about 10 percent of GDP would be lost.

Speaking at the event, MoNRE Deputy Minister Nguyen Linh Ngoc said the Vietnamese Government has been well aware of both positive and negative impacts of climate change and taken strategic actions to effectively cope with climate change with support from the international community.

The country has taken initiative in dealing with natural disasters and sea level rise, ensuring food and water security and social safety and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

It has also focused on improving the management capacity and people’s awareness of climate change and developing science and technology to deal with this issue, Ngoc said.

Representatives from the Monash University affirmed that with its experience in this field the university will help the Vietnamese Government make suitable policies to deal with climate change, popularise responsive measures among ethnic minority groups, as well as help Vietnamese scientists create salinity-resistant rice varieties.

Source: Vietnam Plus