Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Binh Thuan (VNA) – Climate change scenarios and their effects were discussed at a seminar held in the central province of Binh Thuan on April 6, in a bid to improve local weather forecasting and water resources management.
According to participating experts, climate change has become more complex in Vietnam, with more annual hot periods taking place. This has led to a rise in the number of serious droughts occurring across the nation.
Torrential rain has reduced remarkably in the northeast region, while the opposite trend has been noticed in the southern part of the central region and in the Central Highlands.
In Binh Thuan alone, prolonged drought, higher sea level and more severe erosion have taken their toll in recent years.
Currently, locals are bearing the brunt of an acute drought caused by the El Nino phenomenon. It damaged over 1,400 hectares of plantations and left some 90,000 cows and 18,000 goats without grass or water. More than 96,000 residents are now lacking fresh water, with the dry season yet to reach its peak.
Besides outlining possible climate change scenarios, participants also put forth countermeasures moving forward.
The seminar is part of a Belgian-funded project on water management and urban development in the context of climate change. The project worth six million EUR is scheduled to run between 2013 and 2019. Its major tasks include studying typical weather patterns in Binh Thuan, thus providing forecast and meteorological data for local weather services.
In response to climate change, Binh Thuan has planned 51 projects costing over 3.8 trillion VND (171 million USD) to be implemented from 2012 through to 2020.-VNA
