Saturday, February 7, 2009

Climate change poses more threats to southern tip of Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge: The WWF Greater Mekong Program has called for a range of approaches to be taken for Ca Mau to counter climate change as its impacts are predicted to become more serious for the country’s southernmost province in the coming years. The program points out in a statement that widespread inundation and increased salinity in freshwater systems as among the major challenges climate change will pose for the coastal province in the next 25 years as shown in a recent study.

The Ca Mau study that the program released on Tuesday indicates that the impacts of storms and sea-level rise (SLR) will likely pose serious threats, and that current management initiatives are insufficient to meet this emerging risk. Therefore, the study proposes integrated water management strategies including hydraulic works to control the volume, quality and movement of water within enclosed areas, and consideration of climate change in planning future agriculture and aquaculture development.

The study also recommends provincial planners to maintain or restore dunes, wetlands, and coastal forests as a way to buffer against storm surges, improve water quality, and regulate water flow. Tuesday also saw the program releasing a study on the impact of climate change on Thailand’s province of Krabi, where a shorter rainy season leading to water scarcity is seen as among the major challenges for the future…

Ca Mau City seen from the air, shot by Genghiskhanviet, Wikimedia Commons

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