Workshop discusses climate change in Vietnam, Taiwan

The workshop was held at the National Economics University as part of the Taiwan Studies Project ‘Enhance research collaboration and experience sharing between the National Economics University in Vietnam and Institutions in Taiwan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management’ funded by Taiwan’s education authority.

The workshop was attended by representatives from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam, National Taiwan University, ministries of Vietnam as well as scientists and experts from both home and abroad.

In his opening speech, Professor Tran Tho Dat, Chairman of the National Economics University Council showed that the Mekong River Delta is one of the richest and most productive agricultural areas in Southeast Asia, contributing a high percentage of agricultural products to the whole country.

He said that many agricultural commodities of the Mekong River Delta were present and favoured in many countries around the world.

“However, major challenges facing the delta remain such as a scarcity of freshwater, sea level rise, saline intrusion, flood and drought which calls for stronger participation of stakeholders for the sustainable and climate-resilient development of the Mekong River Delta,” Dat said, adding that global climate change challenges can only be addressed if people strengthen collaboration and joint action for both adaptation and mitigation.

“This will require a significant increase in financial and technical contributions from all partners, including the private sector, academia and civil society. Bringing these all together will create an effective framework for climate action,” he said.

Dat expressed the highest appreciation for national and international organisations, individuals who have supported the implementation of the project.

The workshop also announced an important product of the project – an English monograph titled "Climate Change and Agriculture: Status, Impact, Adaptation, Insurance in the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam” – to be compiled by a group of researchers from the National Economics University.

The monograph reviews the challenges faced by the Mekong River Delta between the past, present and 2100, particularly those related to agricultural production as well as adaptation strategies in agriculture, including agricultural insurance, in the Mekong River Delta.

In addition, participants had the opportunity to learn from different studies and perspectives on issues of agricultural policy, climate change adaptation strategies, the application of the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) approach in the Green House Gases emission projection and insurance against natural disasters – which were presented by leading experts from the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and National Taiwan University.