The Asia-Europe Meeting International Forum on Climate Change opened in the northern Ha Long City Monday with the aim of strengthening international co-operation in response to climate change.
The two-day ASEM forum, organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), has attracted more than 150 delegates from Australia, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and host Vietnam.
Speaking at the forum, MoNRE Deputy Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized the serious impacts of climate change, which are posing real risks to Viet Nam's poverty reduction programs and sustainable development as well as its implementation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
In response, the Vietnamese Government had ratified and joined the UN Frame Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, he said.
The Government had issued many documents and instructions on activities to deal with climate change and entrusted MoNRE with co-ordination of these activities, he added.
Based on domestic and foreign studies, in early 2009 MoNRE finished creating climate change scenarios in Viet Nam, especially in regards to rising sea levels. Scenarios will be updated in late 2010 and regular updates will be ongoing until 2100.
The forum will discuss such issues as the vulnerability and adaptation to the impacts of climate change, opportunities and challenges for low carbon economies, and ASEM co-operation as part of global efforts.
Participants are expected to put forth recommendations and initiatives for closer ASEM co-operation in dealing with the problem.
Ha stated that the forum is one of the activities being held to realize the government's master plan and action plan on Vietnam-EU relations by 2010 with orientations to 2015, especially in the field of natural resources and environment.
