Vietnamese minister calls for protection of marine environment

ABO/NDO - Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha has urged the coastal provinces in Vietnam to join together to protect the marine environment, especially in preventing plastic pollution.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha

The call was made on June 1 at a ceremony to launch the Vietnamese Seas and Islands Week in the city of Cam Pha, in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

He also asked the local authorities to proactively adapt to and deal with climate change and rising sea levels in an effective manner.

Quang Ninh Chairman Nguyen Duc Long affirmed that the province would continue to protect and improve the quality of the natural environment in general, and the marine environment in particular.

The Vietnamese Seas and Islands Week, in response to World Oceans Day, aims to raise awareness on the importance of the seas and islands, as well as promoting the potential of the marine economy.

As part of the week, there will a gala performance, a workshop on the role of the youth in protecting Vietnamese marine sovereignty and a song writing contest on the seas and islands.

In addition, the coastal authorities will hold a campaign to clean up the beaches and encourage people not to dump plastic waste in the environment.

Oceans play a significant role in socio-economic activities but every year millions of tonnes of solid waste, oil leaks and spills, and toxic chemicals are seriously damaging the marine ecology and the health of oceans.

(Source: NDO)