December 2nd 2009
5 days left to the BIG day for citizen of Hopenhagen, the anticipated UN Climate change conference.
“Việt Nam sẽ có những đóng góp tích cực để đạt được thành công Hội nghị thượng đỉnh của Liên hợp quốc về biến đổi khí hậu được tổ chức tại Copenhagen (Đan Mạch) vào tháng 12 tới, đồng thời cam kết trước toàn cầu về những giải pháp trong việc ứng phó biến đổi khí hậu và nước biển dâng”- Thủ tướng Nguyễn Tấn Dũng đã nhấn mạnh như vậy tại buổi tiếp Đại sứ Đan Mạch Peter Lysholt Hansen, chiều 30/11 tại Trụ sở Chính phủ.
Vietnam also was quoted (P.M) on the UN site
In the past 50 years, Vietnam has witnessed a lot of climatic changes. For instance, the average temperature has increased by 0.5 – 0.7oC, the normal sea level has risen by 20cm, and the number of typhoons and tropical depressions rises to 7 or 8 a year. Though preventive measures have been actively taken, losses and damages from disasters are extremely severe for Vietnam. In the last 10 years alone, natural disasters have cost Vietnam around 800 lives and 1.5% of GDP a year.
Tackling climate change mission is now rest on the shoulders of many politicians, government officials, influences and participants at the conference. Some put forward the benchmark and promises to cut down the CO2 emission and climate change. The efforts for Vietnam seem to be there. Well at least some media reported on it.
Ngày 30/10, Bộ Giáo dục và Đào tạo phối hợp với Oxfam và Tổ chức Cứu trợ trẻ em cùng phát động “Cuộc thi tìm hiểu về Biến đổi khí hậu cho học sinh, sinh viên”. So there’s even education campaign for the young, trying to teach them what climate change is about, this goes inline with the global campaign tcktcktck. A few news indicate the direct impact of climate change on Vietnam Southern region: DBSCL regarding the severe flooding and damage to the rice farming land of the region. At the first Mekong Delta Climate Change Forum, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment acknowledged the affect but yet to finalise a feasible solution to address this issue.
On the communication side, not much has been invested into making this an urgent social issue. Life goes on sort of mentality. Hopehagen keyword does not yield any interest, rather Copehagen get even more hit!. In the Vietnam media front, coverage for the Hopenhagen was minimal, Google Vietnam search only resulted in Copenhagen and pretty much covered by the big media such as Tuoi Tre, Thanh Nien, Phap Luat. Some of the keyword search for Copehagen actually worked! quite a few info popped up http://tag.tinmoi.vn/Copenhagen (this one has world news in Viet)
For HCMC alone, the local government Natural Resources & Environment Department received some support from central government of 200billVND (onwards September2009) for more than 12.800 businesses. (Other efforts to contribute to the Climate Change phenonmenon like joining the C40Cities for HCMC).
As yet what can an individual citizen do to live and breath that philosophy? and not letting this huge task depends only to policy makers?
Thanh Nien suggested 10 ways of helping out the surrounding in your own neighbourhood. Of the 10 there’s 3 I try to do everyday:
1. Reduce Plastic Bag: say no when you buy something small and can stuff it in your carry bag. It does not look good fashion wise when you carry a plastic bag anyway
(Actually one time I went over the to Fahasa bookshop to buy 1 book and they refused to sell to me unless I use their pathetic shopping bag, I said no and they wouldn’t sell so I chose not to shop there unless I can say no to plastic bag. This is drastic but someone gotta do it!)
2. Live in a house with lots of greenery
3. No Littering!
Just hope and cope with the current situation until there’s a awakening among citizens. For now, 3 would do. As simple as that
