Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on March 21 called for the effective use and management of water and energy at a national meeting in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau to mark World Water Day.
As a locality in which the Da River runs through, Lai Chau is home to the country’s biggest hydropower plants, namely Lai Chau, Son La and Hoa Binh.
He warned that water resources are at risk of exhaustion due to a booming population and growing demand for water and energy. The world demand for energy will jump nearly 50 percent by 2035, meaning that the water supply for energy generation will see a rise of some 20 percent.
Failure to coordinate effectively will lead to countries and localities becoming involved in conflicts of interest, he warned.
Statistics show that Vietnam’s total volume of surface water reaches 830 – 840 billion cu.m, about 63 percent of which originates from neighbouring countries. Vietnam will be faced with a major problem if upstream nations fail to share water from cross-country rivers in a fair manner, according to the Deputy PM.
With a system of crisscrossing rivers and lakes, the country holds huge potential for developing hydropower, one of the major sources that contributes to energy security, socio-economic development and national modernisation, Hai commented.
He acknowledged that building new hydropower plants does have a downside, such as some environmental pollution and vulnerability to climate change.
At the event, Hai praised the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the provincial People’s Committee for their media campaigns about the World Water Day, causing members of the public to change bad habits regarding the use of water and energy and promote sustainable practices.-VNA
As a locality in which the Da River runs through, Lai Chau is home to the country’s biggest hydropower plants, namely Lai Chau, Son La and Hoa Binh.
He warned that water resources are at risk of exhaustion due to a booming population and growing demand for water and energy. The world demand for energy will jump nearly 50 percent by 2035, meaning that the water supply for energy generation will see a rise of some 20 percent.
Failure to coordinate effectively will lead to countries and localities becoming involved in conflicts of interest, he warned.
Statistics show that Vietnam’s total volume of surface water reaches 830 – 840 billion cu.m, about 63 percent of which originates from neighbouring countries. Vietnam will be faced with a major problem if upstream nations fail to share water from cross-country rivers in a fair manner, according to the Deputy PM.
With a system of crisscrossing rivers and lakes, the country holds huge potential for developing hydropower, one of the major sources that contributes to energy security, socio-economic development and national modernisation, Hai commented.
He acknowledged that building new hydropower plants does have a downside, such as some environmental pollution and vulnerability to climate change.
At the event, Hai praised the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the provincial People’s Committee for their media campaigns about the World Water Day, causing members of the public to change bad habits regarding the use of water and energy and promote sustainable practices.-VNA
