World Water Day 2016 (Source: news.chinhphu.vn) Thanh Hoa (VNA) – The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment called for greater public awareness of the urgent need for water resource protection and efficient water use during a meeting held in the central province of Thanh Hoa on March 22, to mark the 2016 World Water Day.
Addressing the ceremony, which attracted more than 3,500 people including representatives from ministries and organisations and local residents, Minister Nguyen Minh Quang highlighted that World Water Day aims to create awareness of the global water crisis and seek suitable policies on sustainable water management.
He stressed that Vietnam has made concerted efforts in building cooperation mechanisms to manage water resources among nations.
However, regional countries have not paid much attention to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, which results in water shortages and saline intrusion in many localities, especially the Mekong Delta region, he added.
On the occasion, the ministry also asked local authorities in mountainous and remote areas to disseminate the importance of forest protection, which helps maintain and develop water resources.
Meanwhile, the Mekong Delta region was recommended to plant mangrove forests and increase the construction of reservoirs to response to climate change and sea level rise.
Earlier, the ministry joined hands with the provincial People’s Committee to organise a conference on water and jobs, a photo exhibition and an art exchange programme to celebrate the 2016 World Water Day.-VNA
