VietNamNet Bridge – Despite various achievements, over 3 million Vietnamese children are facing water shortage, said Ms. Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative.

Ms. Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative

The UN Resident Coordinator made the point on March 22 during an interview granted to the VGP’s reporter on the occasion of the World Water Day.

Ms. Pratibha Mehta said that Viet Nam has attained remarkable achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, there is a long way ahead for the nation to accomplish the seventh goal on ensuring environmental sustainability especially on water and clean water.

Since 2000, the rate of population accessing clean water increased from 78% to 92%. However, over 3 million Vietnamese children are living in clean water scarcity especially in far-reaching and ethnic minority areas. In Viet Nam, over 3.7 million people are still living without toilets, she added.

Regarding the serious droughts and saltwater intrusion in the Central Highlands Region and Mekong Delta Region in Viet Nam, Ms. Pratibha Mehta said that an expert group from the UN, NGOs, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is working with the local authorities and residents to assess the damages for emergency relief and providing technical support for drafting a risk map for short, medium and long-term measures.

In the medium term, the Coordinator suggested Viet Nam strengthen coordination among ministries and localities to mitigate negative impacts of hot weather; combine projects on water resources, saline intrusion, underground water, clean water storage, flood control especially in the Mekong Delta and South Central Coast.  

Vietnam vulnerable to heavy impacts of climate change

Meteorologist Bernadette Woods warned that Viet Nam is vulnerable to heavy impacts of flooding and landslides which would affect infrastructure, water resources, houses, and peoples’ jobs.

Ms. Bernadette Woods who is the director of Climate Central's Climate Matters program made the prediction in an interview with the VGP’s reporter about climate change in the world.

According to the meteorologist, due to long coast and rising sea level in the Southeast Asian region which 2-3 times higher than the world’s average rate, Viet Nam would cope with bigger impacts.

The world is witnessing climate change impacts, including severe hot weather, heavy rains, thicker snow, droughts, and so on.

She also forecast that 2016 would be one of the hottest years in the history as El Nino started coming back.  

VGP