Hanoi (VNA) - The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversityand ecosystem services of wetlands (Ramsar sites) has contributed tosustainable socio-economic development, carbon storage, climate change adaptation,environmental protection, and nature and biodiversity preservation.

Dr. Du Van Toan from the Institute of Environmental Science,Seas and Islands under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, saidthat mangroves are considered as a highly productive ecosystem in tropical andsubtropical coastal areas globally, contributing 50% of materials to the oceanfrom materials in the forest and 15% of the total organic matter in marinesediments.

The function of storing organic carbon of wetlands plays an important role inthe global carbon stocks and mitigation of climate change impacts, Toan said,stressing the need to conduct research to provide policies and orientations onmangrove conservation and assessment of carbon stocks.

According to the expert, with an area of about 150,000hectares of mangrove forests and the current estimated price of 5 USD per tonneof carbon dioxide, the benefits from trading carbon credits are huge. Moreimportantly, if they are exploited effectively, there will be a large source offunds to increase income for the community and, at the same time, contributesignificantly to forest protection and development in Vietnam.

In addition, in order to fulfill commitments to and join theinternational community in reducing carbon emissions, it is necessary to haveorientations on mangrove conservation and assessment of carbon stocks in mangroveecosystems in the coming time.

Accordingly, Vietnam needs to develop a national policy onoperating a carbon credit exchange; and make legal documents on economicvaluation of carbon sequestration and storage functions of mangrove forests.  It is also necessary for the nation to activelyparticipate in and implement conventions on emission, deforestation and forestdegradation reduction to enhance its position in the international arena;participate in and contribute to major international initiatives on mangroverestoration; and develop basic surveys on assessment, and calculation of carbonstocks in mangrove ecosystems.

Vietnam became a member of the Convention on Wetlands, knownas the Ramsar Convention, in 1989. So far, nine wetlands, with a total area of120,549 hectares in the country have been recognised as Ramsar sites – wetlandsof international importance. They are Xuan Thuy National Park (recognised in 1989),Bau Sau Wetlands and Seasonal Floodplains (2005), Ba Be National Park (2011), TramChim National Park (2012), Ca Mau Cape National Park (2013), Con Dao NationalPark (2014), Lang Sen Wetland Reserve (2015), U Minh Thuong National Park(2016), and Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (2017).

By now, a network of Vietnamese Ramsar sites has been set upand operated at the website //vran.vn/.

To effectively implement the Ramsar Convention on Wetlandsof International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Vietnam willprioritise perfecting mechanisms and policies related to the conservation andsustainable use of wetlands./.