The US will continue to support Vietnam’s efforts to cope with climate change, US State Secretary John Kerry has said, adding that a 17 million USD project will be implemented to this end through the US Agency for International Development.

During his visit to Ngoc Hien district, the southernmost province of Ca Mau , on December 15, Kerry said the sea level is forecast to rise by 4 metres by the end of this century due to climate change, and Vietnam ’s Mekong Delta region would be one of the hardest hit areas.

He stressed that in the future, humankind will have to not only adapt to climate change but also seek ways to prevent its impacts. He urged the effective use of clean energy while noting that it needs specific planning, including the building of hydropower projects, otherwise it will bring about other consequences on the environment.

In regions where economy relies on water sources like the Mekong Delta, residents are suffering from sea level rise and the planning of hydropower projects in the upper Mekong River.

The US will closely follow and put on the table this issue at international forums in the time to come, he added.

Earlier, the US State Secretary visited Duong Keo market in Ngoc Hien district, where he used to stay during the US War in Vietnam, and met locals of Kien Vang and Duong Keo hamlets.-VNA