06/07/2016
Being of one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, over the past years, Việt Nam has been proactively implementing concrete activities to respond to climate change. However, responding to climate change is a long term and complex task which needs involvement of entire political and social systems. This is quoted from an interview by Environmental Magazine with Mr. Phan Xuân Dũng, Central Party member, Chairman of National Assembly’s Science, Technology and Environment Committee.
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Mr. Phan Xuân Dũng Chairman of National Assembly Committee for Science, Technology and Environment |
Would you please let us know about some main achievements in responding to climate change in Việt Nam?
Mr. Phan Xuân Dũng: Recognizing serious impact by climate change on sustainable development of the country, the Party, the National Assembly and the Government have issued many orientations and policies on climate change responses, for example, 11th Central Party Standing Committee’s Resolution 24-NQ-TW in 2013 on proactively responding to climate change, National Assembly Standing Committee’s Resolution 853/NQ-UBTVQH on supervision results and enhancing implementation to policies and regulations on responding to climate change in Mekong River Delta (MRD), Law on Environmental Protection 2014 with a separate chapter on climate change, and National Strategy on Climate Change.
To implement these policies, ministries, sectors and localities have carried out a series of actions. These include developing and updating climate change and sea level rise scenarios to provide orientations for ministries, sectors and localities in developing and implementing master plans and plans for socioeconomic development, and assessing climate change impact on each sector and area and proposing relevant response measures and developing action plans for each ministry, sector and locality. Via education and propaganda, awareness, attitude and responsibilities for climate change responses of people have been raised, especially those who live in coastal areas and the MRD where face direct impact of sea level rise. In the meantime, competent authorities have taken measures to promote livelihood for local people. Public investment in climate change response has been paid attention. Many national programs have been implemented such as National Target Program for Climate Change Responses, Supporting Program for Responding to Climate Change (SPRCC) and National Science and Technology Program on Climate Change.
In addition, Vietnamese proactive participation in global activities has been highly regarded by international community and received considerable financial and technological support. Moreover, many policies on climate change mitigation and adaptation have been developed and issued. Many pilot projects on climate change adaptation and investment projects have been carried out to contribute to maintain stability of livelihood of local people, especially for those living in coastal areas. These have proved participation of the entire political system in responding to climate change.
Would you please share difficulties and challenges in integrating climate change responses into socioeconomic development in Việt Nam?
Mr. Phan Xuân Dũng: Climate change impact is enormous and rapid. The difficulties reside not only in integrating climate change responses into socioeconomic development but also requires long and short terms scientific solutions, resources and high political will.
Integrating climate change responses into socioeconomic development has been carried out in ministries, sectors and localities. However, this has faced some difficulties. More specifically, the integration is not yet comprehensive and lacks a long term vision. Climate change responses have mainly focused on addressing consequences and not adequately on prevention. This is due to limited awareness of sectors and different management levels, unclear identification of climate change impact, limited and scattered resources for climate change, and improper resource allocation mechanisms. Reduction and late budget disbursement in the National Target Program has led to unfinished projects that causes inefficiency and resource wasting.
The integration has not created regional and sector linkages. In addition, climate officers have not received specialization training. Activities of provincial climate change steering committees remain limited.
What is your evaluation of funding usage for local climate change responses?
Mr. Phan Xuân Dũng: In the past period, the state has allocated a budget of 1,771 billion VND for climate change responses through National Target Program period 2012-2015. In addition, Việt Nam has mobilized from international organizations and donors a considerable budget of above 1.3 billion USD.
Our supervision of climate change responses in provinces, in particular the MRD, has revealed that the allocated budget has been used quite effectively at local levels. The budget has been allocated to three categories: planting and restoration of coastal mangroves to provide a soft measure for preventing high tides and sea level rise, increase CO2 sequestration and improve local livelihood; building and improving fresh water reservoirs, sea dykes and embankments; and developing soft measures in heavily impacted areas.
However, being one of the most climate change affected countries, Việt Nam has a huge demand for investment in climate change responses, in particular for highly vulnerable areas such as MRD, central coastal areas and Red River Delta. Therefore, to respond to climate change effectively, we need to maintain proper funding for climate change responses. Apart from central, local and donor funding sources, it is necessary to have financial contribution from private sectors and investment from the community.
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| Supervision team of National Assembly Standing Committee working in Tiền Giang on implementation of policies and regulations on climate change in March 2014 |
Recently, climate change has strong impact on people in the MRD and the whole country. In your opinion, what are measures to improve effectiveness of climate change responses in the future?
Mr. Phan Xuân Dũng: Climate change has occurred more rapidly than forecasted, especially in MDR. Therefore, we need to take many measures, including reviewing and completing policies and regulations on climate change for being consistent with socioeconomic development strategies to take advantages of strength of the entire political system and community with a leading and proactive role of the state. The regulations should mention climate change responses specifically.
It is necessary to strengthen management and usage of state budget and other funding sources for climate change responses. Close supervision and inspection of domestic and international funding sources for climate change is also needed. Priorities should be given to urgent projects such as preventing and redressing coastal and river bank erosions to mitigate impact on people livelihood and production.
It is important to implement the following measures: proactively participating in international cooperative programs on climate change responses and environmental protection; issuing policies and mechanisms to encourage individuals, organizations and enterprises to invest and transfer technology for climate change responses, and developing policies and mechanism to promote socialization in responding to climate change, in particular mangrove restoration and plantation. It also necessary to boosting research and development for updating and completing climate and sea level rise scenarios, encourage biofuel use, develop urban planning towards climate resilient, reducing flooding, green house gas mitigation and promoting green growth and sustainable development.
Thank you!
P. Linh (Implemented)
