VND 350 bln added to climate change response program

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Of the projects, the Southern province of Ca Mau will build and upgrade sea dykes with the length of 108,064 km and Bac Lieu Province will establish a system to prevent flood in Bac Lieu city and neighboring areas.

Soc Trang Province will implement two projects to upgrade sea dykes in response to climate change and sea-level rise and build dykes to prevent flood. 

The Central province of Nghe An will upgrade 49,200m dykes and Thanh Hoa Province will establish 2,600m coastal road. 

Viet Nam is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, particularly in the Mekong Delta where rising sea levels, salt water intrusion and flooding are already affecting vulnerable coastal communities.

Temperature in Viet Nam is forecast to increase by around 2.30C on average a year by the end of the 21st century, according to recent climate change scenarios.

The scenarios also say that the total rainfall in the dry season is expected to dip while sea level will rise from 75cm-1m compared to the average level of the 1980-1999 period.

If sea level rises by 1m, 40% of the Mekong River Delta’s area and 11% of the Red River Delta will be submerged.

Accordingly, 11-12% of Viet Nam’s population will be consequently affected directly and 10% of the country’s GDP will be lost, according to a draft Strategy for climate change adaptation which is now under construction by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE).

The consequences of climate change are inevitable and will pose a real challenge for the country in achieving poverty reduction and sustainable development./.

 By Thuy Dung