SEMINAR: CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN THE MEKONG DELTA
, 29/01/2018 13:01On January 19, 2018, Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies held a seminar on “Climate Change, Water Change and Environmental Degradation in the Mekong Delta” which is presented by Prof. Dr. Le Anh Tuan - Deputy Director of Research Institute for climate change, Can Tho University in the series of REACT Project’s Seminar.
The event witnessed a participation of Dr. Tran Dinh Lam - Director of Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies together with lecturers, postgraduates and graduates and more than 100 students from Faculties of Sociology and Urban Studies, Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Prof. Le Anh Tuan divided his talk into 4 parts which are Impacts of Climate Change on the Mekong Delta, How does the water change, How serious is the Environmental Degradation and Solutions for the three problems.
The Mekong Delta region is home to 18 million people, contributing 18% of the nation's GDP, 90% of rice export turnover, 60% of the nation's total aquatic exports and 70% of fruit exports.
However, according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2007 Assessment Report, the Mekong Delta is determined as one of the three deltas in the world which are affected the most by Climate Change related to community.
With a prediction of rising temperature, hot weather, unreasonable rain and high frequency of environmental disasters, the delta is more vulnerable to flood and drought, affecting people’s livelihoods and agricultural productivity, said Prof. Le Anh Tuan.
Over recent years, the region has also suffered severe consequences of climate change such as sea-water intrusion and landslides.
Salinity intrusion in the Mekong Delta is complex, with the system of rivers, connected to a network of interlacing canals and the sea. In the rainy season, salinity is pushed back to the sea nearby area thanks to the abundant fresh water from rainfall and the Mekong River, but in the dry season when the fresh water flow in the river decreases, salt-water intrudes deeply into the inland, taking a heavy toll on agriculture, aquaculture and capture fisheries.
Prof. Le Anh Tuan also believed that environmental degradation in the Mekong Delta is an alarming problem that needs more attention from local people and authorities. The river system that has sustained life for so many thousands of years is now dying because of the negative effects of climate change and pollution. The surface water in many provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta is seriously polluted due to the rapid development of industrial projects and urbanization. Currently, most of the drainage canals in the city are seriously polluted by untreated sewage such as organic substances, germs and chemicals used in production, waste water from industrial zones, seafood processing zones, pesticides and chemical fertilizers used in farming, solid waste discharged from craft villages and households. The consequence is that the water environment, in particular the surface water and groundwater, is decreasing, directly affecting the lives and health of the people.
At the seminar, Prof. Le Anh Tuan stated difficulties encountered in solving these problems, then he drew some solutions which are the combination of agriculture and fisheries such as integrated rice-fish farming systems; automatically economical irrigation systems; afforestation and forest protection, using renewable energy that is environmentally friendly and low-cost.
The interesting information Prof. Le Anh Tuan gave has engaged many lecturers and students to discuss and exchange ideas about these problems and solutions during the seminar.
A Chinese Postgraduate put a question on whether Hydroelectric Power is clean or not
As its negative effects on natural environment, Prof. Le Anh Tuan insisted that Hydroelectric Power is not clean despite being misunderstood as a clean energy for many years. He indicated many substantial impacts of Hydroelectric Power on both human and animal’s life such as destroying the natural habitat for many animals that live in the river and causing extreme flood and interrupting the natural water flow.
A student from Faculty of Sociology asked a question about whether we should alternate the rice crop in the Mekong Delta
Prof. Le Anh Tuan shared his experience on the alternative rice crop
Prof. Le Anh Tuan also had a discussion with Dr. Tran Dinh Lam and M.A. Pham Thi Thuy Trang - Vice Dean of Faculty of Sociology.
A discussion between Prof. Le Anh Tuan, Dr. Tran Dinh Lam and M.A. Pham Thi Thuy Trang
Dr. Tran Dinh Lam shared ideas and experience at the seminar
A lecturer from Faculty of Sociology shared her thought about the water change
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