Organised by the National Assembly’s Committee on Science, Technology and the Environment, the event attracted the participation of more than 60 delegates from ministries, economic sectors and localities along with a cohort of Vietnamese and foreign scientists. 

In his opening speech, Chairman of the Committee Phan Xuan Dung stressed that climate change is posing a risk to Vietnam’s socio-economic development. 

In their presentations, experts noted that Vietnam is increasingly experiencing negative impacts of climate change, such as longer dry seasons, salt-water intrusion, and more frequent and more devastating storms. 

Dieter Seifried, Director of the German company Eco-Watt GmbH, presented his country’s policy on environmental protection and energy, which focuses on replacing traditional energy sources with renewable ones. 

As a result, Germany reduced its CO2 emissions by 75% and still maintained a high growth rate from 1990-2012, he said, adding that renewable energy sources accounted for 30% of the energy sources used in the country. 

Meanwhile, Dorothea Konstantinidis, a German expert on climate change said apart from government efforts to develop effective policies, it was essential to involve the private sector and the population at large in creating effective enforcement models. 

Konstantinidis said as many as 66 countries are actively engaging in climate change adaptation, with over 470 policies being applied. However, so far common global targets have not been reached, requiring the joint efforts of governments and non-governmental organisations to develop more far-reaching policies on the issue. 

Vietnamese experts analysed and discussed measures to protect and develop forests in coastal areas in order to reduce the impacts of climate change.