Vietnam 's experience in tackling the impacts of climate change could be a greatgift to the rest of the world, American expert Jameson Campbell Henn said.
"Given that the country is on the frontline of the impacts, it canbecome a laboratory for effective adaptation methods," said the co-founder andmedia director of 350.org, a US-based organisation and website dedicated toraising people's awareness and communicating measures to counter the change.
He was speaking at a press briefing in HCM City on Wednesday where hewas on a week-long trip at the invitation of the US consulate to holddiscussions with local experts, organisations, and universities on climatechange and media efforts to raise awareness.
He took a field trip to CanGio District's mangrove forests and was impressed with the Women's Union effortsto educate the community about environmental health and protecting the forests.
"Since women bear the brunt of climate change, it is fantastic to seethe Women's Union take the leadership and set climate change as a priority.
"That's the experience Vietnam can share with the world."
Theclimate change was also "one of the greatest areas" for co-operation between theUS and Vietnam , especially in developing green energies and technologies,sharing resources within partnerships between governmental agencies and betweenuniversities, he said.
"The country is taking on the issue in a seriousway and seizing opportunities to invest in new industries," he said, noting thatclimate change was helping steer economies away from fossil fuels.
"Evenuniversity students asked me how they can be part of new industries."
"Raising awareness is so important to help people in the rural areashave information they need to adapt to the climate change."
Given thatfarmers in remote areas did not have access to the internet and electricity touse radios or televisions, culture could be a great tool for educating themabout climate change, he said. "We can use short plays or puppet shows to tellstories about what is happening."
Additionally, a link should beestablished between city and rural people to enable exchange of information andexperiences.
"Students from the city can bring technical knowledge ofclimate change to farmers and learn from them how they protect their lives," hesaid, noting that farmers saw with their eyes what was changing but did not knowthe scientific terminology for it.
He said the Climate Change MediaPartnership was a great vehicle for journalists from around the world to bringlocal stories to global attention.
His organisation would mark GlobalDay on October 10, and Vietnam would be one of the focuses of attention on"10-10-10," he said.
"The event will be a lot different in Vietnambecause it is especially vulnerable."
Bike rides to raise awareness,tree planting, cleaning up the coastline, and professor-student discussionsessions on the issues are among the activities planned by 350.org together withits local partners for Global Day in Vietnam .
"We're still coming upwith exciting new ideas for the day," he said, noting that the day, which wouldcoincide with Hanoi 's millenium anniversary, would be a chance to think of thenext 1,000 years.
Beginning in the US with just a small group of people,350.org now has staff and partner organisations from 180 countries.
InVietnam, it has been working with student volunteers to raise awareness ofclimate change and swap stories and photos about what was happening in the restof the world, and has been seeking to build partnerships with more localorganisations./.
"Given that the country is on the frontline of the impacts, it canbecome a laboratory for effective adaptation methods," said the co-founder andmedia director of 350.org, a US-based organisation and website dedicated toraising people's awareness and communicating measures to counter the change.
He was speaking at a press briefing in HCM City on Wednesday where hewas on a week-long trip at the invitation of the US consulate to holddiscussions with local experts, organisations, and universities on climatechange and media efforts to raise awareness.
He took a field trip to CanGio District's mangrove forests and was impressed with the Women's Union effortsto educate the community about environmental health and protecting the forests.
"Since women bear the brunt of climate change, it is fantastic to seethe Women's Union take the leadership and set climate change as a priority.
"That's the experience Vietnam can share with the world."
Theclimate change was also "one of the greatest areas" for co-operation between theUS and Vietnam , especially in developing green energies and technologies,sharing resources within partnerships between governmental agencies and betweenuniversities, he said.
"The country is taking on the issue in a seriousway and seizing opportunities to invest in new industries," he said, noting thatclimate change was helping steer economies away from fossil fuels.
"Evenuniversity students asked me how they can be part of new industries."
"Raising awareness is so important to help people in the rural areashave information they need to adapt to the climate change."
Given thatfarmers in remote areas did not have access to the internet and electricity touse radios or televisions, culture could be a great tool for educating themabout climate change, he said. "We can use short plays or puppet shows to tellstories about what is happening."
Additionally, a link should beestablished between city and rural people to enable exchange of information andexperiences.
"Students from the city can bring technical knowledge ofclimate change to farmers and learn from them how they protect their lives," hesaid, noting that farmers saw with their eyes what was changing but did not knowthe scientific terminology for it.
He said the Climate Change MediaPartnership was a great vehicle for journalists from around the world to bringlocal stories to global attention.
His organisation would mark GlobalDay on October 10, and Vietnam would be one of the focuses of attention on"10-10-10," he said.
"The event will be a lot different in Vietnambecause it is especially vulnerable."
Bike rides to raise awareness,tree planting, cleaning up the coastline, and professor-student discussionsessions on the issues are among the activities planned by 350.org together withits local partners for Global Day in Vietnam .
"We're still coming upwith exciting new ideas for the day," he said, noting that the day, which wouldcoincide with Hanoi 's millenium anniversary, would be a chance to think of thenext 1,000 years.
Beginning in the US with just a small group of people,350.org now has staff and partner organisations from 180 countries.
InVietnam, it has been working with student volunteers to raise awareness ofclimate change and swap stories and photos about what was happening in the restof the world, and has been seeking to build partnerships with more localorganisations./.
