Vietnam always tries to avoid polluting the atmosphere and reducing greenhouse gases even though the country is not required to make specific commitments in this field, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Khoi Nguyen stated on May 19. When interviewed by Danish National Television regarding climate change, the minister said that Vietnam has signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and drawn up and strictly followed environmental standards.
The government has put in place policies to encourage the use of green technologies in the industrial sector and has prioritised the use of renewable energy, such as wind, sun, wave power and biogases. It is also committed to implementing measures on environmental protection when the country joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Vietnam pursues a goal of sustainable development and will work with the international community to protect the environment and minimise the generation of greenhouse gases in order to prevent global warming and rising sea levels, he added.
According to scientists, Vietnam is one of the countries that suffers the most from climate change. Over the last 40-50 years, the yearly average temperature in Vietnam has increased by 0.5-0.7 degree C and the sea level has risen 20 cm. Boasting a 3,260km coastline, the country is hit by at least 8-10 storms every year. Floods and tides, which rarely happened 20-30 years ago, are becoming more frequent and more complex. Rises in the sea-level will have a bad impact on many sectors, especially agriculture. At present, 75 percent of Vietnam’s population earns their living as farmers. If the land floods, at least 15 percent of the country’s population, or 12-15 million people, will suffer. This threatens the Southeast Asian country’s efforts to reduce poverty and alleviate hunger. The phenomena will also affect transport, construction, the infrastructure and the environment.
