The Straits Times —
The local authorities and environmental organisations in the Mekong Delta region are stepping up efforts to preserve and develop ecosystems vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Located in southern Vietnam, the Mekong Delta has a diverse and unique ecosystem that includes marine life, islands, estuaries, wetlands, mangroves and delta islands, along with biosphere reserves, national parks and nature reserves.
For local economies, these ecosystems provide rich fishing opportunities, fruits, alluvium for agriculture and space for tourism.
The Mekong Delta region accounts for 12 per cent of the country’s area and nearly 20 per cent of its population.
But rapid, unplanned economic development, unchecked population growth and climate change continually put pressure on these ecosystems, which have been reduced in size and degraded.
Now, multiple efforts are under way to preserve the ecosystems.