HCM City (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucchaired a conference reviewing two-year implementation of the Government’sResolution 120/NQ-CP on climate resilient and sustainable development of theMekong Delta region.

Speaking at the conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on June18, PM Phuc said a large number of locals and businesses are not ready fornatural disasters and climate change despite increasing phenomena of climatechange. As such, they have yet to take specific actions for green agriculturaland industrial development.

He noted climate change not only is a challenge to thegrowth of a nation but also contains opportunities for changing the directionof development.

The PM cited as an example the case of the Mekong Delta,where saltwater intrusion as a climate change impact poses challenges to ricecultivation in the delta but create favourable conditions to develop shrimpfarming and processing, which brings much higher economic benefits and addedvalue compared to rice production.

Therefore, the goal is not to fight against climate changebut to conquer and adapt to it, turning challenges into opportunities forrestructuring toward sustainable production, the government leader said.

Reviewing the implementation of Resolution 120 in the pasttwo years, Phuc lauded proactive work by relevant ministries, sectors andlocalities that have resulted in initial positive outcomes.

He said there is a need for measures to improve public awarenesson climate change and spread effective models that are run under the motto of‘The Government advocates, businesses act, and people respond’.

Accordingly, the Government allocates resources, enterprisesinvest in specific projects to build valuable trademark, while the people respondby raising their awareness and joining production restructuring activities toadapt to climate change.

The PM requested that ministries and sectors work withMekong Delta localities to study suitable planning for rice and fruitcultivation and aquatic farming areas that help build a production ecosystemand cut costs for businesses.

The lack of capital in the Mekong Delta is the “bottleneck”in the implementation of infrastructure building and climate change adaptationprojects, according to the PM.

He ordered the State Bank to study a mechanism to mobilisecapital from various sources and use it effectively for development,prioritising investment in infrastructure to improve business environment,reduce production costs, and facilitate goods circulation.

The PM urged localities in the region to boost cooperationto cope with climate change. Ho Chi Minh City should be the “conductor” incoordinating regional connectivity and pioneer in the implementation of the UnitedNations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change.

He tasked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment withcollecting solutions and ideas of ministries, departments and experts, thensubmit them to him for the promulgation of a directive for the implementationof the resolution on climate resilient and sustainable development of theMekong Delta region.

The Mekong Delta makes up 19 percent of the country’spopulation and contributes up to 50 percent of the national rice output, 65percent of aquaculture products, 70 percent of fruits, 95 percent of exportedrice, and 60 percent of exported fish.

It has a favourable location in trade with countries in theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Greater Mekong Subregion(GMS).

However, the delta is facing a number of challenges posed byclimate change, especially rising sea level.

High-speed economic development in localities has causedenvironmental pollution, ecological imbalance, land subsidence, groundwaterdepletion, and coastal erosion.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Hasaid over the two years of implementing Resolution 120/NQ-CP issued by thePrime Minister in 2017, the delta recorded an impressive GDP growth rate of 7.8percent in 2018, the highest level in the past four years and higher than theaverage level of the country (7.08 percent).

The export turnover of the whole region hit 15.7 billion USDfor the first time in 2018.

As of June 2019, the delta had 528 communes recognised asnew rural areas, fulfilling 41.06 percent of the yearly target.

To push ahead withthe implementation of the resolution, Ha stressed the urgent need to studysuitable institutions for the Mekong Delta, which will have power to identifydevelopment priorities, propose specific mechanisms and policies and buildinvestment projects that generate inter-regional benefits.

The Ministry ofNatural Resources and Environment asked the Government to instruct ministries,agencies and localities to focus on some key tasks like building and deployingmajor projects, and developing multi-purpose infrastructure.

It also suggested buildinga master plan on land, water resources and maritime space, which will serve asthe foundation for ministries, agencies and localities to review and adjust socio-economicdevelopment plans and sectors’ development plans, while attracting investmentsand enhancing inter-regional connectivity.

Besides, the MekongDelta region needs to step up economic restructuring, improve farm producequality, devise mechanisms to lure investments in high technologies inaquaculture and agriculture and sea-based eco-tourism, and prevent landslides.

Other tasks include stepping up vocation training, developinghigh-quality human resources and raising public awareness of sustainabledevelopment and climate change adaptation.-VNA