Denmark helps Mekong Delta province deal with climate change

Denmark is willing to share its experiences in climate change adaptation with the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, a representative of the Danish Embassy said.
Denmark is willing to share its experiences in climate change adaptation with the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, a representative of the Danish Embassy said.

Tran Hong Viet made this remark during a workshop in the province on September 10, outlining the 2016-2020 programmes’ focus on developing submerged forests and adaptive cultivation models.

Together with the central province of Quang Nam , Ben Tre is receiving 140 billion VND (9.3 million USD) in official development assistance from the Danish Government to carry out climate change resilience projects during the 2010-2015 period.

The northern European country also offered to provide technical assistance and policy advice to address seawater intrusion and sea level rise, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Cao Van Trong said.

He said it was important to enhance regional cooperation in coping with the impact of environmental change.

Participants also highlighted local adaptation measures, such as developing salt-resistant rice, implementing agricultural models that combine rice cultivation and shrimp farming, and integrating climate change adaptation into social-economic development, especially in the agricultural and transport sectors.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Ben Tre is one of the provinces most vulnerable to climate change.

Scientists predict that a one-metre rise in sea level could result in 70 percent of the Mekong Delta being affected by saltwater intrusion. As a result, Vietnam would lose two million hectares of farmland, and many coastal localities would be flooded.-VNA

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