The sea encroaches upon the land in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has been making updates to the national climate change and sea level rise scenario, under the Prime Minister’s Directive 09 dated March 12, 2016 on urgent measures to cope with salt water intrusion in the Mekong Delta.
According to Dr. Tang The Cuong, chief of the office of the ministry, the update process involved both domestic and foreign research institutes.
The national climate change and sea level rise scenario was first made public in 2009, focusing on seven climatic zones and the coastal region to serve the implementation of the national target programme on responding to climate change.
In 2011, after the national strategy on climate change was issued, the scenario was updated for the first time.
In May 2015, the MoNRE assigned the Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change to continue updating and refining the detailed scenario for climate change and sea level rise for different periods through to 2100.
At the same time, the ministry has held consultation workshops to collect feedback from local authorities, scientists and international organisations on the scenario.
The scenario was updated based on global warming scenarios at different levels according to IPCC’s new approach, which are RCP8.5, RCP6.0, RCP4.5 and RCP2.6.
Main factors in the climate change and sea level rise scenario include temperature rises, changes in average rainfalls of according to seasons and yearly average, climate extremes (mean maximum and minimum temperatures, number of hottest days in a year, highest daily rainfall) and sea level rises in coastal areas.-VNA
