09/01/2018
The conference on sustainable development of the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Region and its adaption to climate change was held on September 26-27 in Cần Thơ City. This was the largest conference ever, and it was billed as the “Dien Hong Meeting” that sought to develop significant ideas to help the Government and local authorities in the Cuu Long Delta Region address strategic solutions on sustainable development in the delta region with a vision to 2100. The preliminary session of the conference was chaired by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.
Among the participants were Deputy Prime Ministers Vương Đình Huệ and Trịnh Đình Dũng, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Chí Dũng, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường, local leaders of HCM City authorities and 13 provinces and cities in the Cuu Long Delta Region, and more than 1,000 participants coming from central government agencies, the National Assembly, local authorities, organisations, embassies, international organisations, along with domestic and foreign scientists.
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Challenges and requirements for the Cuu Long Delta Region
On September 26, under the chair of deputy prime ministers Vương Đình Huệ and Trịnh Đình Dũng, three discussions were held to (1) provide an overview of the region and address challenges, opportunities and solutions to transform the development model of the Cuu Long Delta Region; (2) provide a master plan on the development of the delta region and on mobilising and distributing resources for the development; and (3) develop sustainable agriculture and irrigation systems, and prevent natural disasters and erosions in the region.
Regarding the overview of the region and the challenges, opportunities and solutions to transform its development model, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà highlighted the unique features of the southern delta region, addressed its challenges and opportunities, and suggested breakthrough solutions for the region.
Minister Ha said that the development of the Cuu Long Delta Region must be viewed as a whole that connects to other economic zones, such as HCM City. Further, water resources must become the core element in the region’s development, thus, local authorities must have supportive, breakthrough policies and regimes that could lure the private sector to develop the infrastructure and industrial zones.
Following the report of minister Ha, participants discussed challenges, opportunities and solutions that could help develop sustainable agriculture for sub-regions in the Cuu Long Delta Region; develop an irrigation system that helps the region adapt to climate change and prevent land erosion; and study a master plan on infrastructure construction for the region.
Regarding the management of the region’s development, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Chí Dũng said local governments would need to re-organise the regional economic structure, with the marine economy becoming the centre of attention.
Minister Dung stressed that the region must review the total area of rice planting, limit local people from unorganised exploration of underground water; re-arrange thermal power plants in the region; and raise people’s awareness about transforming the region’s production model to adapt to climate changes. At the discussion, participants proposed that the Government increase the budget for the region to 20% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to assure sufficient resources for the region’s development; prioritise and speed up the progress of climate change adaptation projects; and study particular regimens for the region to attract official development assistance (ODA) projects.
In order to develop sustainable agriculture, irrigation systems and prevent natural disasters and land erosion, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường said that climate changes were unavoidable and adaptation to those changes would need the co-operation of the authorities, the whole country and community, following the theme “active, positive and flexible adaptation to climate changes”.
“Therefore, we need to make the best use of our own advantages and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Revolution 4.0) to turn threats into opportunities. In addition, we need to restructure the agricultural sector so that it becomes more dependent on biodiversity and re-allocates the resources to maximise the sale of the region’s key products.”
Resolution on Cuu Long Delta Region’s climate change adaptation
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said, during the conference’s preliminary meeting on September 27, that he appreciated the results of the discussions and urged the Government and its agencies to acknowledge the ideas, while calling for joint opinions that could help the Cuu Long Delta Region achieve sustainable development and adapt to climate changes.
To conclude the conference, PM Phuc stressed that one of the key factors was to protect the land, water and people; and local authorities must be visionary in turning the delta region from a traditional granary to a hi-tech agriculture region. In the near future, the region must transform its production based on three principles, which are (1) to design sustainable development and prosperity for the region based on adapting and turning challenges into opportunities, assuring good living conditions for local people and preserving the region’s traditional values; (2) to change people’s thoughts from traditional agricultural production to agricultural economics, in which chemical production methods are replaced by organic and hi-tech methods; and (3) to join processing and supporting industries in agricultural economics.
The PM further said we need to respect the law of nature, and the development model should be consistent with nature and avoid unnecessary intervention in nature, and the sustainable development should enable people to live in harmony with the natural conditions. We must acknowledge that climate change and rising sea levels are indispensable and we have to turn those difficulties into opportunities. Also, seawater and brackish water should be treated as natural resources. The Government and the Communist Party of Viet Nam targets to serve the people first to reduce the poverty gap and leave no one behind.
Regarding financial assistance for climate change adaptation projects, the PM called for the founding of the Cuu Long Delta Region Development Fund, that would be funded by various sources. By 2020, local authorities must disburse at least US$1 billion to construct drainage systems for fields and rivers in the region, such as Cai Lon and Cai Be rivers in Kien Giang Province to prevent the inundation of saltmarsh, and Tra Su and Tha La drains in An Giang Province to control floods and strengthen some heavily-hit areas where erosion has posed negative impacts on people’s living conditions.
In addition, the region must enhance its international co-operation; develop a national database on the Cuu Long Delta Region’s sustainable development and climate change adaptation; develop a master plan on an adaptive delta programme to keep the region safe, in the long term, and attractive to individuals and organisations who wish to settle in the region. The Government would organise a region-level meeting every two years to discuss plans, review targets, policies and solutions to better develop the region and guide it to a brighter future.
After the conference, the PM also assigned the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to work with the Government Office to collect ideas from participants, in order to develop the Government’s draft resolution on the Cuu Long Delta Region’s sustainable development and climate change adaptation so that the Government could bring the resolution for discussion at its meeting in September 2017.
Nguyễn Hằng
