Of the sum, more than 50 percent comes from the State budget and domestic organizations and individuals, while the remainder is funded by foreign organisations.

The figure was announced at a seminar in Hanoi on February 26 to discuss measures to protect and develop wetlands and minimise the negative impact of climate change.

The national programme will be carried out in three phases: the first from 2009 to 2010, the second from 2010 to 2015, and the third from 2015 and the years to come.

In 2010, the programme will focus on drawing up an action plan to adapt to climate change and combine the plan with the country’s socio-economic development strategy from 2010 to 2020, as well as the five-year socio-economic development plan until 2015. A number of climate change adaptation projects will be implemented in some select localities.

According to scientists, Vietnam is one of the countries most vulnerable to global climate change, especially its coastal areas and wetlands.

Scientists have predicted that if the sea water levels increase by 1m, about 10 percent of Vietnam’s population will suffer a direct impact and the country will lose about 10 percent of its GDP.

Meanwhile, on February 27, a meeting was held in Hanoi to mark World Wetlands Day (February 2).

The event was co-organised by the General Department for Environment, Birdlife International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).