The Vietnamese government needs build a national strategy on climate change since natural disasters become more frequently and unpredictably, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Chu Pham Ngoc Hien urged. He made the call at a recent meeting to learn about the U.K. experiences in its climate change legislation that climate change must be added to all development strategies and plans of all sectors and localities. Vietnam has been joining hands with international community to carry out international treaties related to climate change and take measures to cope with the matter, Hien attributed. Climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing by the world in the 21st century and Vietnam will be hardest hit, he said, adding that in 2010, natural disasters left 362 people dead and missing, damaged more than 6,000 houses while destroying over 300,000 ha of agricultural land, with a total loss of VND16 trillion. Vietnam joined and ratified the UN framework Treaty on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol along with speeding up the completion of legal documents and creating a legal foundation for calamity prevent and mitigation. At the event, British Ambassador to Vietnam Antony Stockes spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts in response to climate change, such as the country’s approval of a national program on climate change in 2008. To be fully aware of the impact of climate change on sustainable development, foreign experts warned Vietnamese policy makers and managers to introduce and build necessary actions into the law to cope with climate change. By 2100, the average temperature will likely rise by 3-5 degrees Celsius while sea levels might rise by over 1 meter. There will also be more frequent disturbances to the overall climate such as tropical storms, floods, drought, and severe weather chill, showed the latest scenario on climate change. Vietnam is listed among five hardest-hit countries by climate change. If sea level rises one meter, 5% of Vietnam’s land, 11% of its population and 7% of its agricultural land would be affected with the losses estimated at 10% of GDP. (.vietnamplus.vn Mar 18, vovnews.vn Mar 18)
