The report was released in Hanoi on April 18, when the committee launched a nationwide public awareness campaign, entitled “Clean Water and Environmental Sanitation Week”, which will run from April 29 to May 6.

The study indicated that Vietnam is squarely placed near the top of a list for countries that are witnessing a rapid degradation of their biodiversity, ecosystems in the country have been damaged and forest areas have been slashed. It is estimated that three fourths of mangrove forests will be destroyed within the next 50 years.

Vietnam’s water resources are also in danger of exhaustion, as a result of uncontrolled exploitation and underground water pollution, said the report.