People hold key role in responding to climate change: President

In his pre-recorded speech sent to a national meeting in response to World Water Day, World Meteorological Day, and Earth Hour Campaign 2022 held virtually by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) on March 23, President Phuc emphasised important messages and strategic directions for hydrometeorology, water resource management and use, and climate change adaptation in the country.

The State leader said that climate change, extreme natural disasters and scarcity of water resources have been occurring in all countries and regions worldwide, becoming serious challenges for the mankind.

Global climate change has entered a new phase with increasingly severe impacts, he said, noting that Vietnam is one of the five countries most affected by climate change and sea level rise.

He affirmed that the Party and State have paid special attention to hydrometeorological forecasting, water resource management, and climate change adaptation in recent years, helping to improve the quality of hydro-meteorological forecasts and warnings, protect people's lives and assets, and minimise damage caused by natural disasters.

He underlined the need to not only change public awareness and thinking, but also promptly transform those into actions to join hands to protect the environment, realise SDGs set in the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development by 2030, and the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The President called on the entire political system to participate in the implementation of the Party's resolutions on transforming the current fossil fuel-based economy to a digital economy with high resistance and low emissions, which focuses on green development.

Each citizen should act more responsibly in using water resources in a smart and economical way, ensuring water security and water-based livelihoods, and protecting the environment, he said.

It is time to take action to build a green Vietnam, the President stressed, calling for greater efforts of the community in this regard.

He took the occasion to ask the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to continue perfecting legal frameworks and building specific policies in order to encourage enterprises, organisations and individuals to invest in modernising and automating the national hydro-meteorological monitoring system and relevant infrastructure facilities, thus improving the quality of natural disaster forecasting and warning.