A corner of Mekong Delta river (Source: VNA) Directorof UN-Habitat Vietnam Nguyen Quang said the rate of urbanisation in Vietnam nowreaches 34 percent but urban areas account for 70 percent of the totalemissions, which has seriously degraded natural resources and polluted theenvironment.
Mostmajor urban areas such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang and CanTho are in plain and coastal areas. With such rapid urbanisation, they arevulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to weak technical and socialinfrastructure.
TheMekong Delta is sinking by 2cm compared to sea water level each year while weakwater supply and drainage system exposes regional urban areas to the threat of floodingand traffic congestion during the rainy season, he said.
Tocounter such problems, Japan’s Taiho Metals company introduced a system ofwater-proof doors and flooding shields with 4D design and shock-resistantmaterials.
Atthe event, scientists also raised their concern about the shortage of freshwater in the region due to drought and saline intrusion – the consequences ofgas emission and pollution from unsustainable urbanisation.
Participantssuggested developing buffer zones to protect coastal urban areas, planting mangroveforests to block waves and reduce erosion, limiting groundwater exploitationand preventing water surface pollution.
NorishikaMatsuo from Japan’s Daiken Corporation presented an underground reservoir modelcapable of holding 100 tonnes of water used for daily life and vegetablecultivation. It could be set up within a week at low cost and is suitable forapartments.
Anumber of opinions proposed developing green buildings and building ecologicalurban areas in order to reduce emissions, making it easier for urbanites toadapt to climate change.
Inurban areas at risk of saltwater intrusion, Japanese experts suggested using seawaterdesalination technology.
Arepresentative from Kyowakiden company said its sea water desalination system usespressure-retarded osmosis to process more than 50,000 cu.m per day, adding thatit is being widely used in Japan and China.
ViceChairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Vo Thi Hong Anh lauded the feasibleand practical use of the Japanese technologies introduced at the event, andvowed to outline a strategy to the make the best use of local partnership withJapan.
Sheinformed that Can Tho has devised a project to use energy effectively andeconomically, including facilitating the use of renewable energies, solarradiation, geothermal, tidal wave and biogas instead of coal.
CanTho is building a climate change-resilient urban development planning andstrategy, under which, a proper water drainage system will be built, amongothers.-VNA
VNA
