Vietnam, U.S. Share Experiences to Cope with Climate Change

Vietnamese and U.S. experts Aug 25 gathered at a meeting in Hanoi to share experiences in dealing with climate change and water resource management in Vietnam, state media reported. The comprehensive management of water resources is considered one of important and urgent tasks in the Southeast Asian country amid climate change that is showing clear signs across the country.
Vietnam is facing a prolonged lack of water in many rivers and streams in the dry season and more than 60% of the country’s water sources come from other countries, water resource expert Nguyen Ty Nien said. Nien pointed out serious water pollution at many river basins and degrading water resources due to rapid economic growth over recent decades. Climate change has caused different rainfall patterns and serious flooding in the rainy season and droughts in the dry season, contributing to increasing challenges in the utilization of water in major rivers like the Red and Mekong Rivers, he added.
“It is necessary to share experiences and lessons on climate change with the U.S. and international community, and to encourage the community’s involvement in river basin management,” participant stressed.
Director of Flood Management Policy at American Rivers Shana Udvardy said that the future water of resources has become unstable and human adaptation to climate change depends on human choices.
Listed among five hardest-hit countries by climate change, Vietnam has so far mobilized more than $1.2 billion in aid from the international community in efforts to tackle climate change. (Vietnamplus.vn Aug 25, Tuoi Tre Aug 25, www.cpv.org.vn Aug 26)