When it comes to making use of resources, we are all looking for new ways to organise society. There is no model to duplicate, so we need to develop our own, stressed Swedish Ambassador for Climate Change, Lars Ronnas, at a press conference hosted by the Swedish Embassy in Hanoi on Tuesday.

The National Target Programme of Rural Water and Sanitation has helped more than five million people in Viet Nam have access to clean water since 2015. 

At the event, the Swedish delegation to Viet Nam International Water Week 2018 briefed on their experiences and showed their willingness to collaborate with Viet Nam in water resources protection and climate change resistance. Technological innovations were suggested as the most sustainable way to tackle environmental issues. According to the ambassador, smart solutions helped Sweden grow the economy while reducing greenhouse emissions in 2017.

Viet Nam is among Sweden’s targets in terms of governance and management of water resources for sustainable development as part of a global programme by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. The programme aims to minimise the impacts of climate change and secure livelihoods for vulnerable groups, according to Jakob Granit, the agency’s director general.

He also touched upon “Source-to-Sea” (S2S), a comprehensive approach concerning policy, planning and decision making that considers the entire social, ecological and economic system from source to sea for sustainable development. The approach encourages the stronger engagement of civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders in actions for the environment.

Civil engagement in water resources protection should be encouraged by CSOs, suggested Birgitta Liss Lymer from Stockholm International Water Institute. The Stockholm Water Prize initiated by the organisation has become a hub for environmental innovations which welcomed the participation of the Vietnamese team in 2012.

Therefore, she expressed high hopes for more intensive engagement by Viet Nam in water perseveration in the near future.

“Both of our countries are moving from a period of water abundance to more water scarcity as a result of climate change. It is necessary to improve the management of water demand through pricing as Viet Nam has the lowest price on water in ASEAN to promote water use efficiency and water re-use,” she said. 

On March 4, under the framework of Viet Nam International Water Week, Tran Quy Kien, deputy minister of Natural Resources and Environment, had a meeting with the Swedish delegation led by Ronnas. On the occasion, Kien showed his desire to accelerate the strategic partnerships with Swedish agencies in effectively implementing environmental protection activities.

It is estimated that in 2018, there are about 4.5 million Vietnamese people suffering shortages of clean water.

Tap water access in the context of rapid population growth is one of the crucial issues discussed during the international water week from March 4 to 8. 

VNS