A conference was held on January 23 to discuss the role of the media inmonitoring and detecting water pollution, advocating responsivepolicies, and calling for the stronger community engagement in managingwater pollution.
Media involvement is consideredimportant in preventing water pollution as it comprehensively andaccurately reports related issues, agreed participants at the event,jointly conducted by the Centre for Environmental and Community Research(CECR) and the Coalition to Advocate for Water Pollution Control andthe Clean Water Act.
They highlighted that the media also points out shortcomings in initiatives and collects ideas on possible solutions.
Over the past years, media agencies have brought to light manyculprits of water pollution and helped raise public awareness ofprotecting the environment, they said.
CECR DirectorNguyen Ngoc Ly called for further media contributions to counteractingwater pollution, especially in lobbying for a law on water pollutionmanagement which the Coalition for Clean Water will put forth in 2015.
Participants at the event also reviewed the currentstatus of water pollution in Vietnam, as well as responding measurestaken by the country, including the design of a number of regulationsand laws.
Vietnam has a large area of inland water surface with about 2,360 rivers and streams, and thousands of lakes and ponds.
However, the country has faced serious water pollution due to economicactivities from industrial parks, and trade villages, especially inurban areas.
According to the 2012 nationalenvironmental report, about 6 million individuals have been affected bydiseases related to water pollution in the past four years, costing thecountry about 400 billion VND (19 million USD). It continued, estimatingresulting damage to the agriculture and aquaculture sectors to reachhundreds of billions of dong each year.-VNA
Media involvement is consideredimportant in preventing water pollution as it comprehensively andaccurately reports related issues, agreed participants at the event,jointly conducted by the Centre for Environmental and Community Research(CECR) and the Coalition to Advocate for Water Pollution Control andthe Clean Water Act.
They highlighted that the media also points out shortcomings in initiatives and collects ideas on possible solutions.
Over the past years, media agencies have brought to light manyculprits of water pollution and helped raise public awareness ofprotecting the environment, they said.
CECR DirectorNguyen Ngoc Ly called for further media contributions to counteractingwater pollution, especially in lobbying for a law on water pollutionmanagement which the Coalition for Clean Water will put forth in 2015.
Participants at the event also reviewed the currentstatus of water pollution in Vietnam, as well as responding measurestaken by the country, including the design of a number of regulationsand laws.
Vietnam has a large area of inland water surface with about 2,360 rivers and streams, and thousands of lakes and ponds.
However, the country has faced serious water pollution due to economicactivities from industrial parks, and trade villages, especially inurban areas.
According to the 2012 nationalenvironmental report, about 6 million individuals have been affected bydiseases related to water pollution in the past four years, costing thecountry about 400 billion VND (19 million USD). It continued, estimatingresulting damage to the agriculture and aquaculture sectors to reachhundreds of billions of dong each year.-VNA
