Measures to protect, restore, develop water resources in Vietnam discussed
Climate change, sea level rise, saltwater intrusion and unsustainable water use fuel the water scarcity risks in Vietnam, said Tong Ngoc Thanh, director general of the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation (NAWAPI).
Extinguished guests take a photo at the workshop (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) — Climate change, sea level rise,saltwater intrusion and unsustainable water use fuel the water scarcityrisks&nb𒁏sp;in Vietnam, said Tong Ngoc Thanh, director general of the NationalCentre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation (NAWAPI).
At the workshop "Protection, Restoration and Developmentof Water Resources: Science, Policy and Practice" on March 15, hehighlighted that to deal with the situation, Vietnam has enacted the revisedLaw on Water Resources 2023 to change the way the country manages its waterresources, improving the efficiency of water use and curbing water pollution. "Under the law, water resources will be considered as apublic property owned by the people, and the State will be therepresentative of the owners," said Thanh. Nguyen Chi Nghia, director of the Northern Division for WaterResources Planning and Investigation, underlined the pollution problems in manyrivers in big cities in Vietnam. He attributed the problems to urbanisation, whichprevents rainwater from infiltrating the ground and makes it run intodrainage systems where it mixes with wastewater and flows into the waterbodies.
The director suggested a four-step measure to restore the pollutedrivers with the first involving identifying the causes of river degeneration inbig cities and the next setting restoration objectives. Anke Steinel, senior BGR hydrogeolo▨gist at CRMGGProject, said the Mekong Delta faces several water resources challenges.
The first challenge involves the increase in surface watersalinity, which is caused by tidal effects reaching further inland due to sandmining and the change in discharge pattern due to dam construction. Another challenge is climate change, which impacts indirectlyon groundwater demand and directly on surface water. Felix Dörr, expert in land subsidence from Postdam University,said the subsidence observatory installed by his team in Ca Mau province foundthat the causes of land subsidence could be the dynamics of the groundwaterlevel and precipitation changes. Within a depth of between zero to 13m, a land subsidence of 0.7mmwas observed between December 2022 and April 2023. The team also saw alittle subsidence between 35 and 84m, and even more happening below./.
Climate change has and is deeply affecting Vietnam's water resources, changing the water cycle in nature and causing extreme phenomena such as flooding, drought, and saline intrusion, thus prompting the urgent need for strengthening management of water resources.
Six countries along the Mekong River – Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand - have committed to working together to tackle climate change issues, according to Surasee Kittimonthon, Secretary-General of Thailand’s Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR).
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) will accelerate digital transformation to ensure effective management, exploitation and protection of water resources.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has said it will step up digital transformation and maintain the operation of the online surveillance system over water exploitation and use for about 600 works licensed by it in 2024.
According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Space Centre and head of the project, this is the first study in Vietnam to simultaneously employ Sentinel-2 satellite data, advanced machine learning algorithms, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to model and monitor key seawater quality parameters.
The Deposit Return System is seen as a potential instrument for effectively advancing Vietnam’s vision of a circular economy, as outlined in Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The figures were highlighted in a Pre-Feasibility Study on a DRS tailored for single-use beverage packaging in Vietnam, conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Young people should not view AI as salvation but rather as a tool under human control. Young creators should focus on learning and accumulating practical knowledge, using AI as a tool to carry out artistic projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
Saigon Hi-Tech Park’s ambitious 50% renewable energy goal far exceeds the city’s 15% target, positioning the park as a trailblazing “living lab” for sustainable energy solutions.
Vietnam's economic losses from natural disasters are estimated to account for 1 to 1.5% of GDP annually - a steep price that will continue to rise unless the country takes strong action.
Wutip, the first storm in the East Sea so far this year, has wreaked havoc across central Vietnam, claiming lives, displacing residents, and causing widespread damage to houses, crops, and infrastructure, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control reported as of 6:30 pm on June 13.
The tremor occurred at 7:39:46 am (Hanoi time), with the epicentre located at latitude 14.924°N and longitude 108.236°E, at a depth of approximately 8.1 kilometres. The natural disaster risk level was classified as 0 – the lowest on the scale.
Addressing a session on “Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Deputy Minister Hiep emphasised Vietnam's proposal in building sustainable financing in response to natural disasters, which aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goals.
Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitments by participating in global sustainable development forums, signing multiple free trade agreements, and attracting support from international partners for the implementation of the SDGs.
The fight against plastic pollution could not succeed through isolated efforts, but it must be a collective endeavour involving the entire political system, businesses, citizens, and the international community, said Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy.
Lang Son Global Geopark, with its outstanding geological values, cultural heritage, and unique natural landscapes, represents a valuable addition to UNESCO’s global geoparks system.
In 2019, Quang Ninh became one of the first localities in Vietnam to launch a province-wide campaign against plastic waste, mobilising the participation of the political system, the business sector, and the general public. Other localities—such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City—have also effectively implemented waste-sorting initiatives at source, along with models for plastic-free markets and urban areas.
This year’s World Oceans Day on June 8 is themed 'Wonderful Oceans: Sustaining What Sustains Us', while World Environment Day is on June 5 with the theme: 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
Renowned artists including Ha Anh Tuan, Den Vau, and Phan Manh Quynh, along with many directors and attendees, took part in planting hundreds of rare tree species such as mun (Diospyros mun) and cho chi (Parashorea chinensis) in the Thung Bong area of the Cuc Phuong National Park, contributing to forest ecosystem restoration.
The dispatch noted that since the beginning of 2025, natural disasters have claimed 29 lives and left several others missing. A total of 67 houses have collapsed, and 2,342 homes have been unroofed or damaged.
Its Forest Protection Sub-department has applied various specialised software and information technologies in forest management and protection and fire prevention.
Extinguished guests take a photo at the workshop (Photo: VNA) 
