The Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City has revised up budget for an action plan on climate change adaptation until 2015 to VND16 trillion ($769.23 million) from the previous estimate of VND12 trillion. The move was made after the department got feedback from related agencies, Nguyen Trung Viet from the department was cited by the Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon newspaper as saying. The department earlier this week submitted to the local authorities a draft action plan to tackle climate change with an estimated capital of VND12 trillion. But, the municipal authorities have not yet adopted it and suggested adjusting several unclear points in the plan, Viet said. The initial plan showed that 50% of the budget is expected to come from foreign sources, 30% from the state budget, 10% from the city’s budget and the rest from the private sector and others. Under the five-year plan, HCM City will focus on vital sectors, including urban planning, water resources, energy, agriculture and waste management. The plan will also prioritize planning of transportation projects to adapt to climate change and research to assess its impacts on the possible migration of the city. The plan is expected to be submitted to the municipal People’s Committee for approval next month. If sea level rises by 65 cm, the city will have flooded areas of about 128 square kilometers, and if sea level surges by 100 cm, up to 473 square kilometers or 23% of the city’s area will be underwater, experts warned. HCM City, listed among the top 10 cities worldwide to be hardest hit by climate change, will research applications of new construction materials that help increase water absorption in parking lots, pavements and roads. (thesaigontimes.vn Aug 18, saigondautu.com.vn Aug 18)
