Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi Forum2018 opened on November 9, drawing nearly 500 delegates, made up of former andincumbent state leaders, heads of business groups and internationalorganisations, as well as domestic and foreign scholars and scientists.
Themed “Towards Sustainable Development –Climate Change Response for Sustainability and Security”, the two-day forum is oneof the National University of Hanoi’s (VNU) initiatives, aiming to contributeto global efforts in implementing sustainable development goals through sci-techresearch and academic exchange.
The function – held with the support of theRepublic of Korea (RoK)’s Foundation for Advanced Studies, SK Group, the Ministryof Science and Technology, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology – encourages intersectoralresearch to enhance the efficiency of activities responding to climate change,especially in Asia-Pacific region.
Addressing the opening ceremony, VNUPresident Nguyen Kim Son said that sustainable development goals can only bereached with the synergy of all relevant parties, including governments,international organisations, universities, businesses, and society.
He said that the engagement of all bodieswill help shorten the path towards achieving set goals without leaving anyonebehind.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Former PrimeMinister and former Director-General of the UN Development Programme HelenElizabeth Clark shared a number of response measures to climate change in ahumanitarian manner with harmony between international and local solutions.
Vice Chairman of the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change (IPCC) Youba Sokona delivered a report on global andnational connectivity and unity in strategies to mitigate and adapt to climatechange, as well as the role of climate change response towards sustainablegrowth.
Vice President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Stephen P. Groff reviewed environmental pollutionhotspots and orientations in smart city development.
On November 10, five professional sub-committeesof the forum will discuss key issues, including evidence of climate change andsecurity; human influence in climate change; the response to climate change;policy and governance in climate change response and sustainable growth; and science,technology, and education on climate change response and sustainable growth.
The forum will also hold two policydialogues on the sustainable development of resilient cities in the Red Riverand Mekong River Deltas.–VNA