Many areas in the northern mountain province of Lao Cai will be affected by natural disasters during the rain and flooding season this year (Photo: VNA)
Lao Cai (VNA) – The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai is exerting every effort to minimise the impacts of climate change.
In addition to raise public awareness of the role of nature, the province has taken concrete actions to protect the environment and develop the economy sustainably.
The whole area of forest and forestry land has been managed systematically while protective forests have been protected and developed with a total area of over 156,000 hectares, including 101,000 hectares of natural forest.
Lao Cai has formed and put into use special-use forests such as the Hoang Lien National Park, Hoang Lien – Van Ban Natural Park and Bat Xat Natural Park with a combined area of 64,000 hectares and more than 2,000 kinds of flora, including valuable species like Van Sam, Bach Xanh, Thong Tre, Dinh Tung and Po Mu.
Furthermore, the province has constructed wood processing plants along with material areas while enhancing the win-win cooperation between enterprises and local people.
It has piloted a project to allow State-owned businesses to manage protective forests and encouraged the growing of trees in families, residential clusters and urban areas.
Thanks to these efforts, Lao Cai’s forest coverage rate increased to 53 percent in 2015.
Climate change has caused heavy losses for Lao Cai province over the past years. According to Luu Minh Hai, Director of the province’s Hydro-meteorology Centre, the average temperature in the province has been increasing, even hitting 40 degrees Celsius in summer, while hails, whirlwinds and flash floods have been more frequent.
Between 2003 and 2015, there were 20 flash floods and landslides in Lao Cai, killing 261 people and injuring 218 others. Nearly 2,000 houses and 12,000 ha of rice and crops were damaged while more than 1,300 irrigational works and other facilities were destroyed, resulting in an estimated economic loss of thousands of billions of VND.
Only two storms in August this year cost the province 680 billion VND. Since July 2016, about 20 locals have been killed by whirlwinds, lighting, flash floods and landslides.
The prolonged frosty winter has resulted in ♕the death of around 15,000 cattle each year while severe droughts have occurred in many areas.-VNA
A technical assistance project funded by the Dutch Government has been successful in enhancing training capacity ò the Water Resources University and the University of Natural Resources & Environment.
A workshop on enhancing vulnerable groups’ capacity of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation was held by the Association for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in Quang Binh.
Localities and ministries must steer clear of subjectivity and strive to find new models for climate change adaption, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue told a meeting on September 26.
Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the World Bank remains committed to working with the Vietnamese government to develop the next phase of climate resilience and transformation for the Mekong Delta.
Under the directive, the PM instructed relevant agencies to regularly inspect, supervise and proactively implement disaster prevention, response and rescue measures in line with their assigned roles and mandates, ensuring readiness, avoiding passivity or delays, and maintaining operational continuity amid ongoing political and administrative restructuring at levels.
According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Space Centre and head of the project, this is the first study in Vietnam to simultaneously employ Sentinel-2 satellite data, advanced machine learning algorithms, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to model and monitor key seawater quality parameters.
The Deposit Return System is seen as a potential instrument for effectively advancing Vietnam’s vision of a circular economy, as outlined in Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The figures were highlighted in a Pre-Feasibility Study on a DRS tailored for single-use beverage packaging in Vietnam, conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Young people should not view AI as salvation but rather as a tool under human control. Young creators should focus on learning and accumulating practical knowledge, using AI as a tool to carry out artistic projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
Saigon Hi-Tech Park’s ambitious 50% renewable energy goal far exceeds the city’s 15% target, positioning the park as a trailblazing “living lab” for sustainable energy solutions.
Vietnam's economic losses from natural disasters are estimated to account for 1 to 1.5% of GDP annually - a steep price that will continue to rise unless the country takes strong action.
Wutip, the first storm in the East Sea so far this year, has wreaked havoc across central Vietnam, claiming lives, displacing residents, and causing widespread damage to houses, crops, and infrastructure, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control reported as of 6:30 pm on June 13.
The tremor occurred at 7:39:46 am (Hanoi time), with the epicentre located at latitude 14.924°N and longitude 108.236°E, at a depth of approximately 8.1 kilometres. The natural disaster risk level was classified as 0 – the lowest on the scale.
Addressing a session on “Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Deputy Minister Hiep emphasised Vietnam's proposal in building sustainable financing in response to natural disasters, which aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goals.
Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitments by participating in global sustainable development forums, signing multiple free trade agreements, and attracting support from international partners for the implementation of the SDGs.
The fight against plastic pollution could not succeed through isolated efforts, but it must be a collective endeavour involving the entire political system, businesses, citizens, and the international community, said Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy.
Lang Son Global Geopark, with its outstanding geological values, cultural heritage, and unique natural landscapes, represents a valuable addition to UNESCO’s global geoparks system.
In 2019, Quang Ninh became one of the first localities in Vietnam to launch a province-wide campaign against plastic waste, mobilising the participation of the political system, the business sector, and the general public. Other localities—such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City—have also effectively implemented waste-sorting initiatives at source, along with models for plastic-free markets and urban areas.
This year’s World Oceans Day on June 8 is themed 'Wonderful Oceans: Sustaining What Sustains Us', while World Environment Day is on June 5 with the theme: 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
Renowned artists including Ha Anh Tuan, Den Vau, and Phan Manh Quynh, along with many directors and attendees, took part in planting hundreds of rare tree species such as mun (Diospyros mun) and cho chi (Parashorea chinensis) in the Thung Bong area of the Cuc Phuong National Park, contributing to forest ecosystem restoration.
Many areas in the northern mountain province of Lao Cai will be affected by natural disasters during the rain and flooding season this year (Photo: VNA)
