Vietnam facing water security challenges
Vietnam’s demand for water is skyrocketing while water resources are being depleted, certain river basins are being overexploited and competition for water resources is soaring. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said in a report that the basins of some rivers like Ma, Huong and Dong Nai are being overused during dry months. The report, which came out on January 9, issues a warning against significant impact on the lives of many people as underground water resources are being overexploited, water pollution is worsening, and upstream forests are overexploited, leading to water shortages in the dry season and flash floods and landslides in the rainy season. Climate change, rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion have left strong impact on aquaculture in many parts of the country, inflicting huge damage on Vietnam’s agriculture in 2016. The environment ministry pinpoints another worrying issue: rapid land degradation. South-central provinces are facing a rapid pickup of desertification and the Mekong Delta is struggling with land subsidence and flooding, affecting socio-economic development.
