The plains in the world are under threat

At the 2013 Conference of the World Plains Dialogue, international experts have warned many of the world's major plains are threatened by climate change and a range of human activities.

The two largest river systems in the world, Mekong and Mississippi, are the focus of the Delta Conference 2013 held in the middle of May in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Here, experts have warned about the serious threat of the plains. The dialogues and discussions aim to find solutions to restore the vitality of rivers as well as bring sustainable development to the delta regions.

In Vietnam, the Mekong basin covers an area of ​​about 71,000 square kilometers, accounting for more than 8% of the entire basin area. Particularly, the Mekong River Delta is over 40,000 km ² , accounting for 12% of the total natural area of ​​the country, including 13 provinces and cities with 17 million inhabitants. This year contributes 27% of GDP with 90% of export rice and nearly 60% of Vietnam's seafood export turnover. But this rich plain is becoming the most sensitive and vulnerable area.

The Mekong Delta in Vietnam (the red part) is being penetrated by sea water.(Photo: Wikimedia)

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Thai Lai warned: "The Mekong River has been classified into one of the five major river basins in the world with the most degraded flow due to drought. Salt water has now reached Tan Chau. , Chau Doc, An Giang province, this is something that has never happened in the past. "

According to the climate change scenario in Vietnam, by 2100 sea level could rise by 1 meter, losing 40% of the Mekong Delta area. These challenges are seriously affecting the region's ecosystem. Agricultural production, fisheries and the lives of millions of people in the Mekong Delta as well as ensuring food security and related countries also suffered.

Stemming from the cross-border nature of the above challenges, Vietnam has issued many policies on water security and climate change."The Government also advocates to strengthen regional and international cooperation, supporting sharing information, experiences and close coordination with countries and stakeholders to sustainably develop delta basins" , Mr. Lai emphasized.

Similar to Mekong, Mississippi also entered the alarming phase. Representing the US Mission in Vietnam, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Le Thanh An said: "In the United States, the Mississippi River Delta is rapidly eroding."

Mr. An explained, sediments and nutrients often support a well-developed delta ecosystem, which is now blocked by dam dam systems designed to control floods. America's marshes are also eroding with an area equivalent to an football field every hour. Ecological systems, systems that play a very important role in agriculture, in storm prevention and tide surges, are seriously threatened.

If this ecosystem continues to be devastated, the support it brings to maritime routes, and dams will also be lost."We are facing a thorny problem: how to balance between taking advantage of all the benefits of a river, but still maintaining its long-term stability , " said An.

Chairman of the American Wetland Organization, R. King Milling, said the loss of land in the Mississippi Delta is happening at the fastest speed on the planet. This is not the story of a single country so it is necessary to quickly find a common solution. Because if we lose the delta, all the economic benefits it provides to the upstream region will also be lost.

In the past 10 years, the US Wetlands Organization has delved deeply into the coastal and coastal issues. Experts have studied how to adapt to climate change, more intense sea level rise and larger storms over a longer period of time. They also look for solutions to subsidence when facing upstream dams and river channels.

Mississippi River Delta.(Photo: NASA)

This American expert emphasized that to create a healthy future for the delta requires real compromise and will to maintain them into reality. All efforts to resolve short-term impacts to prevent the collapse of the entire system and permanent loss of natural, economic and social assets.

The first secretary in charge of the Netherlands Embassy and Water in Hanoi, Martien Beek commented, the two major Mekong and Mississippi river systems give the world a picture of the future. Efforts should be made to protect and maintain their sustainability.

According to the expert, the Netherlands has over 800 years of experience in water management and is willing to share with countries. One of the most important experiences is that society needs to create space for rivers and to build (these spaces) by natural methods.

The World Bank representative, Mrs. A. Acharya, called on governments to have a commitment to cross-country cooperation to solve the problems of the two largest plains in the world. Dutch lessons will be useful, so technology transfer must be quick. Countries need to point out what lessons can be applied to bring about sustainable development for the plains."This work is very big and complex, requiring no small funding. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the role of international donors to save the endangered plains , " she said. A. Acharya said.

International scientists also agreed that Governments play an important role in leading these influential projects. Every country needs to be determined to turn policies into action. Real and flexible models of water, sediment, sediment, and seawater intrusion are needed . and quickly include them in master plans. As for capital, projects to protect the sustainable development for the delta need a long-term and sustainable capital attraction mechanism.

The most suitable scenario for the plains is agricultural specialization, priority classification by region to focus on flood control, fresh water regulation, construction of canal systems, dykes . "Agricultural activities in the plains need a harmonious combination of exploitation with aquaculture, forest protection and ecosystem maintenance , " said expert Van De Groep.