UICN - Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza

Viet Nam expected to be hit worst by the impacts of climate change

28 May 2008 | News story

  Viet Nam will be one of the countries most affected by climate change in the world, according to participants in the High Level Discussion on Climate Change, held on 25 May and facilitated by IUCN. A sea-level rise of only one meter could inundate over six percent of the total area of the country and displace over 10 million people.

“Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Viet Nam” workshop took place in Ha Noi with more than 100 National Assembly members and a number of donor agencies exchanging information on climate change and its implications for the country’s long term sustainable development.

Presentations on the impact of climate change projected a bleak future for Viet Nam and options for dealing with potential impacts were discussed. In particular, discussion focused on the "Viet Nam National Target Program on Climate Change and Sea Level Rise" which is currently being drafted. The National Target Program needs to be completed this July and submitted to the National Assembly for their consideration and approval.

There is no doubt that climate change impacts are already present and increasing in Viet Nam, causing negative effects on all sectors and regions in the country, and there is an urgent need to further improve awareness on this for provincial authorities and local communities.

Members of the National Assembly and other participants have then suggested that IUCN should continue to work with the National Assembly, MONRE, and other line ministries to consolidate climate change awareness raising efforts, as well as to work with the international community to develop an appropriate and comprehensive approach to address this developing threat.

The workshop has made a firm start for a long-term cooperation between IUCN, Viet Nam governmental organizations and international partners on climate change. A series of awareness raising workshops is currently under development.

The National Assembly of Viet Nam hosted this workshop in collaboration with IUCN, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), and the Ministry of Planning and Investment, under the sponsorship of the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

To learn more on IUCN Climate Change Programme in Viet Nam, contact huy@iucn.org.vn