Nhan Dan –
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Conference on’ Climate Action to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – Ways Forward’ took place in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, on June 19.
Attending the event were nearly 200 delegates from 53 of the ASEM member economies, as well as the leaders of ministries, sectors and 13 Mekong Delta localities.
Discussions focused on development amid climate change, the combination between climate action and sustainable development goals, and measures to boost Asia-Europe climate partnerships toward sustainable development.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Le Cong Thanh, said that Vietnam is assessed as one of the countries that is hardest hit by climate change, with the Mekong Delta region being one of the three deltas in the world that are most vulnerable to sea level rises.
The impacts of climate change on Vietnam are serious, posing a threat to the achievement of poverty reduction targets, millennium development goals and the sustainable growth of the country.
Therefore, hosting this year’s conference will create an opportunity for the Mekong Delta localities to connect with each other, expand their cooperation with the world’s leading experts on climate change, and gain access to the ASEM members’ assistance for climate change adaptation programmes, Thanh stated.