Ho Chi Minh City will spend some VND12 trillion (USD583 million) on projects designed to deal with the negative impacts of climate change from now to 2015.
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According to a draft action plan for climate change adaptation in 2011-2015 prepared by the city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 50 percent of the budget will come from foreign sources, 30 percent from the central government, 10 percent from the city’s budget and the remainder from the private sector and others.
In the next five years, the city will prioritize projects in vital sectors such as urban planning, water resources, energy, agriculture and waste management.
The department predicted sea levels would rise by 65 cm in the near future, submerging 128 square kilometers of land in the city. If sea levels surge by 100 cm, 473 square kilometers, or 23 percent of the city’s area, will become prone to floods.
Under the five-year action plan, the city will focus on making proper plans for urban development and traffic works, as well as doing research on the impact of climate change on migration.
To that end, the city will conduct researched on new construction materials that help increase water absorption on pavements, roads and at parking lots.