Responding to climate change

(Baonghean) -Climate change (CC) is manifested through global warming, changes in rainfall leading to the appearance of extreme weather phenomena and negative impacts, of which rising sea levels are one of the biggest consequences. According to research, Nghe An with 82 km of coastline is a province that is greatly affected and influenced by the process of rising sea levels.

Farmer Vo Dinh Giang, hamlet 7, Nghi Tien commune (left) next to his burnt rice field.

Through investigation, it is known that since May 7, Nghi Tien Commune People's Committee has developed a plan for summer-autumn crop production on an area of ​​115 hectares. All fertilizers and seeds have been prepared. But on June 2, the commune had to meet to decide to cancel the summer-autumn crop and switch to the early-season crop. "145 hectares of rice in the commune are grown from the Cam River, the remaining 40 hectares are grown from the Khe Nuoc Dam. However, for the past few months there has been no rain, there has been no small-season flood, the Cam River is salty, making it impossible to produce. The Khe Nuoc Dam is also dry, the remaining area has to be abandoned. Now we can only rely on the early-season crop, but it is also uncertain because it depends on whether it rains or not," Mr. Luu Quang Thuong - Chairman of Nghi Tien Commune People's Committee worried. Talking about the impact of climate change, especially the impact of saline river water intrusion, Mr. Thuong added: “Since 2009, every year the irrigation water has been contaminated with salinity, so the area for summer-autumn crop has gradually decreased. For example, in 2013, the whole commune cultivated 105 hectares, but when it was harvested, it was only 70 hectares, and the rice yield also decreased significantly compared to the spring crop.”

The above story does not only happen in Nghi Tien, according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghi Loc district, due to the impact of climate change, the weather has changed abnormally. Drought in the summer-autumn crop has occurred more frequently and more severely in recent years. Many areas, mainly communes along the Cam River and semi-mountainous areas, lack water for daily life and irrigation. In particular, due to the lack of water in the Cam River, salinity has eroded, putting communes along or at the end of the Cam River such as Nghi Quang, Nghi Yen, Nghi Tien in a situation of force majeure, with unstable summer-autumn and winter-spring crop production due to lack of irrigation water. "The Cam River from Cam Bridge to Nghi Quang bara, recently measured salinity of 1%, that is 10‰, while salinity less than 2‰, water can ensure irrigation for rice", said Mr. Nguyen Duc Tho - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghi Loc.

The increase in saline intrusion into rivers during the dry season and the impact of saline intrusion on land use in coastal areas in Nghe An have been observed for many years. According to the Nghe An Irrigation Department, in 2010, on the Cam River, saline intrusion, also known as salt wedge, extended to nearly Nghi Van Commune (Nghi Loc). Also in 2010, on the Lam River, the salt wedge situation extended to Hung Xuan Commune (Hung Nguyen). Mr. Pham Huu Van - Deputy Head of the Nghe An Irrigation Department said: "In the face of drought, the Irrigation Department always recommends that irrigation companies and localities monitor the salinity of water before pumping for irrigation."

According to the B2 medium emission scenario of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the impact of climate change, including sea level rise, on Nghe An is very large. Not only is it affected by saline intrusion, but it also causes coastal erosion, loss of productive land and residential land for people in coastal areas, landslides and damage to irrigation works and coastal transport infrastructure. Calculations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment predict that the salinity threshold of 4‰ at Lam River could reach over 30 km in 2020 and Mo River, Thai River, Bung River could reach up to 6 - 7 km. Some communes of Quynh Minh, Quynh Luong, Son Hai, Quynh Nghia, Tien Thuy, Quynh Thuan, Quynh Long (Quynh Luu district); Dien Thanh, Dien Trung, Dien Hung, Dien Kim, Dien Bich, Dien Hai communes (Dien Chau district); Phuc Tho, Nghi Tien, Nghi Thiet communes (Nghi Loc district) are at very high risk of salinity above 4‰. We have more reason to worry, when the report of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shows that, in the past 50 years, the average annual temperature has increased by about 0.7 degrees Celsius, sea level has risen about 20 cm, faster than forecast by the end of the 21st century, the earth's temperature may increase from 2.5 - 3.7 degrees Celsius, sea level rise about 1 meter.

Faced with the challenges posed by climate change in general and rising sea levels in particular, in recent years, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of the province has advised the People's Committee of Nghe An province to direct the implementation of many measures to proactively respond to climate change. First of all, the province has developed an action plan to respond to climate change in Nghe An until 2015 and take into account 2020. In addition, it has strengthened propaganda to raise awareness among the community and improve the capacity of management staff to meet the goals set out in the National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change of the Government and Resolution 7 of the Central Committee (term XI) on "Proactively responding to climate change, strengthening resource management and environmental protection".

At the same time, the sectors integrate climate change response goals into the planning, planning and implementation of socio-economic development plans of the province as well as the development of sectors and fields in Nghe An province. Promote the implementation of the National Target Program on energy saving and efficiency in the province to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; restructure crops and livestock according to seasons, research and development, application of new technologies in agriculture; and international cooperation in the field of forest protection and development associated with climate change response. In particular, to respond to rising sea levels and prevent storms and floods, Nghe An is implementing many important solutions. Mr. Vo Van Ngoc - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said: Currently, the province is upgrading the Lam dike section through Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen districts and Vinh city according to the National Target Program on Climate Change Response; At the same time, carry out the procedures to propose the construction of a saltwater prevention sluice across Lam River at Ben Thuy and upgrade the Hoang Mai River irrigation system; implement projects to plant mangrove forests and upstream forests.

Thus, it can be seen that Nghe An has implemented many solutions to respond to the challenges posed by climate change. However, climate change is a global challenge in the 21st century, not just a challenge of an individual, organization or country. Therefore, this year's World Environment Day with the theme: "Take action to prevent sea level rise" is a necessary occasion to raise people's awareness of the position and importance of environmental protection and responding to climate change.

Phuoc Anh