 |
Quang Tri is a province that regularly suffers the devastation of natural disasters with great frequency and severity. The most common types of natural disasters are storms, floods, droughts, saltwater intrusion, flash floods, and landslides. Therefore, Quang Tri province has actively and proactively developed plans and solutions to effectively respond to the adverse impacts of natural disasters. Quang Tri Newspaper reporter had an interview with Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment TRAN VAN QUANG about related contents.
- Dear comrade! Could you please tell us about the current environmental situation in Quang Tri province?
- Currently, the environmental quality of Quang Tri has achieved remarkable results, environmental issues are gradually being addressed. The results of environmental quality monitoring in the province in 2023 are relatively stable compared to previous years. Most of the monitored environmental parameters are within the limits prescribed by relevant environmental technical regulations. Environmental pollution only occurs locally in some areas at certain times such as: river and lake water during heavy rains or droughts; air at some major traffic intersections in the dry season; groundwater is contaminated with salt at some coastal shrimp farming sites.
Regarding the environmental situation in industrial zones and clusters, although investment in environmental infrastructure is still limited, the province has required production facilities to collect and treat waste to ensure requirements before discharging it into the environment, so in general, no serious environmental pollution problems have arisen. The collection and treatment of domestic waste, production waste, and hazardous waste are increasingly being paid attention to and improved.
The management, monitoring and control of pollution sources are implemented regularly and strictly. Reflections and recommendations on environmental pollution inside and outside industrial zones and clusters are promptly checked, verified and handled, limiting the situation of causing long-term environmental pollution affecting the surrounding areas. The construction of wastewater collection and treatment systems in urban areas and concentrated residential areas is still limited due to lack of investment funds, which is also a source of pollution worth paying attention to.
- Can you tell us about the adverse impacts of natural disasters and climate change on Quang Tri province at present?
- Quang Tri is located in the transitional area between the North and South, with a narrow, short, steep terrain, a 75 km long coastline, a dense river system and a complex climate. With such characteristics, Quang Tri is one of the provinces that often suffers from natural disasters with greater frequency and severity compared to other localities in the country. The most common types of natural disasters are storms (an average of about 2 storms/year), floods, inundation, droughts, saltwater intrusion, flash floods and landslides.
Monitoring data in recent years shows that extreme climate phenomena are occurring in a complex, unpredictable and irregular manner, with greater intensity and higher frequency. This has led to natural disasters becoming increasingly stronger in intensity and frequency, causing great damage to the property of the State and people in the province.
Collecting trash at Cua Tung beach - Photo: HNK
The impacts of climate change are increasingly affecting all areas of people's lives. Typically, the situation of high temperatures and droughts has caused some river, lake and underground water sources that provide water for daily life to become scarce, and reserves have decreased, leading to water shortages in some months of the year in many places such as Dong Ha city, Ho Xa town, Ben Quan.
Along with that, in the province, there were many unusually heavy rains leading to flooding in low-lying areas in Hai Lang district, Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri town and causing serious subsidence and landslides in mountainous areas and riverside areas in the province.
Not only that, according to the monitoring data of salinity intrusion, salinity has fluctuated greatly over time in both the Thach Han and Ben Hai river systems. The salinity intrusion process has gradually increased over time from March to August. This phenomenon has greatly affected the process of water use to serve the socio-economic development needs of the province, especially affecting the water supply for agriculture and aquaculture in the downstream areas of the rivers.
- Could you please tell us about some outstanding results in the field of environmental protection, climate change adaptation and solutions for implementation in the coming time?
- Up to now, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has advised on the improvement of the system of legal documents and regulations on environmental protection in the province, typically: Regulations on maximum prices for domestic solid waste treatment services at treatment sites using state budget funds in Quang Tri province; Decision on detailed regulations on the management of domestic solid waste of households and individuals in the province; Project on classifying domestic solid waste at source in Quang Tri province. Issuing documents to guide and support localities in implementing environmental criteria for building communes and districts to achieve new rural and advanced new rural areas.
The work of disseminating and popularizing the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection has been actively implemented, and the provisions of the Law have been applied more systematically and methodically in life and production.
In nearly 5 years, the organization has appraised environmental impact assessment reports of 182 projects; appraised and granted environmental licenses to 77 projects. It has supported the operation of a chain of 20 wind power projects with a total capacity of more than 700 MW, contributing to the development of clean energy, limiting carbon emissions and other environmental pollutants.
The collection and classification of domestic solid waste has been promoted. Up to now, the rate of collected and treated domestic solid waste has reached over 94%, especially in rural areas, the collection rate has increased from 54% (in 2020) to 80% (in 2023).
Establish and implement environmental and natural resource monitoring in the entire province to monitor environmental quality changes as well as other socio-economic development activities. Establish a diverse conservation corridor with an area of over 97,000 hectares connecting the two Dakrong and Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserves.
As a locality assessed to be heavily affected by climate change, along with the joint efforts of the whole country, Quang Tri has actively implemented many solutions to respond to climate change. Some outstanding results in the province's climate change response work in recent times can be mentioned as follows:
The province has issued many programs and plans, clearly orienting urgent and priority issues based on the updated climate change scenario associated with the implementation of the Paris Agreement and Vietnam's commitments at the COP26 Conference, specifically: updating the Action Plan to respond to climate change of Quang Tri province to 2030, with a vision to 2050; implementation plan on green energy conversion, reduction of carbon and methane emissions of the transport sector; plan to implement regulations on responding to climate change according to the Law on Environmental Protection...
Along with that, in the context of limited local resources, the province has actively approached, connected and signed important agreements opening up opportunities for the locality to access knowledge, technology and green finance: Agreement on implementing the Program for the period 2023-2028 between the Provincial People's Committee and the International Organization for Conservation of Nature in Vietnam; Memorandum of Understanding between the Provincial People's Committee and Eni Vietnam BV Company with the goal of cooperating to implement afforestation projects to reduce carbon emissions and create carbon credits from natural climate solutions...
Climate change monitoring capacity is enhanced through increasing the density of hydrometeorological monitoring stations. Currently, the province has 18 national hydrometeorological stations and 78 specialized hydrometeorological stations.
Hydrometeorological information, warning and forecasting work has met the requirements of natural disaster prevention and control, contributing to reducing damage caused by natural disasters. Climate change adaptation activities in the agricultural sector have been actively implemented. The quality of management, protection, development, effective and sustainable use of forestry resources and biodiversity conservation has been continuously improved.
Road and waterway traffic works in areas often threatened by floods are upgraded, renovated and built.
In addition, the province is actively completing the urban infrastructure system, ensuring green growth and responding to the negative impacts of climate change, creating a sustainable living environment for urban residents, especially in Dong Ha city.
Focus on developing renewable energy, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions; protecting and developing natural ecosystems, enhancing the ability to absorb greenhouse gases. Actively mobilizing resources and focusing on implementing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through protecting natural forests and planting forests. Quang Tri is one of 6 provinces in the North Central region to pilot and transfer emission reduction results (sell carbon credits).
Currently, Quang Tri has 5 natural forests managed by the community that are certified for sustainable forest development and management (FSC), and certified for ecosystem services on carbon absorption and storage with a total area of nearly 2,145 hectares, absorbing 7,000 tons of carbon per year and storing about 350,000 tons.
Despite achieving encouraging results in environmental protection work; however, environmental protection work in the province still faces many difficulties and challenges, especially in the period when Quang Tri is focusing on many important driving projects such as My Thuy port, Gio Linh airport, starting construction of large industrial parks; many large-scale farms have come into operation...
Therefore, in the coming time, it is necessary to implement solutions such as: Completing the work of handling urgent environmental pollution points in the locality; preventing and controlling environmental pollution; managing waste; continuing to implement biodiversity conservation work; implementing environmental criteria in new rural construction.
Especially strengthening environmental management capacity. Promoting propaganda and raising awareness through columns and pages on resource and environmental protection on mass media.
In the coming time, based on updating trends and requirements in responding to climate change internationally and nationally, and based on local practical conditions, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will coordinate with sectors and localities to advise and propose to the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee comprehensive and appropriate solutions to promote response to climate change in the following aspects: Building and perfecting institutions and policies.
Communication, raising awareness and attracting community participation; Human resource development; Science and technology development; Mobilizing financial resources for climate change response; Promoting international cooperation in climate change response...
Thank you, comrade!
Ho Nguyen Kha (performed)
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/thuc-hien-hieu-qua-cac-giai-phap-bao-ve-moi-truong-va-thich-ung-bien-doi-khi-hau-189445.htm
Comment (0)