The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment is now adjusting the action plan for climate change adaptation in 2011-2015, whose budget is also revised up to VND16 trillion (USD776.6 million) from the previous estimate of VND12 trillion (USD582.5 million). The action plan is set to gain approval from the city’s government next month.
 |
“Expenditure for this project will be increased to around VND16 trillion after the department has feedback from related departments and agencies,” Nguyen Trung Viet, an official from the department, told the Daily on Wednesday.
The city’s Natural Resources and Environment Department earlier this week proposed to the municipal government a draft action plan to cope with the climate change with an estimated budget of VND12 trillion. However, the city’s government suggested adjusting several points in the project which are not clear.
According to the initial project, 50% of the budget will come from foreign sources, 30% from the central government, 10% from the city’s budget and the remainder from the private sector and others, Viet added.
In the next five years, the city will prioritize carrying out projects in vital sectors such as urban planning, water resources, energy, agriculture and waste management.
The department predicted sea levels would rise by 65 centimetres in the near future, submerging 128 square kilometres of land in the city under water. If sea levels surge by 100 centimetres, 473 square kilometres, or 23% of the city’s area, will become prone to floods.
Under this five-year action plan, urban planning and planning of transport infrastructure will be given top priority in response to climate change. The government will also centre on carrying out research into the impact of climate change on migration.
To that end, the city will research applications of new construction materials that help increase water absorption in parking lots, pavements and roads.
