The Mekong Delta, including the Southwest Region and part of the coastal East Vietnam, is one of the six most vulnerable regions in the world to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. In particular, it is worth noting that the Mekong Delta, a wetland area with a very high potential for sulfate acidity and actual acid sulfate, suffers multiplied damage during the dry season. This drying up of the flow causes droughts for fields, agriculture, and fisheries, and especially leads to a lack of clean water for people's living. Additionally, this area is affected by saline intrusion from semi-diurnal tides in the East Sea and diurnal tides in the West Sea. Therefore, climate change has had and will continue to have severe effects on the reproductive system, environment, and livelihoods of 22 million people in the Mekong Delta.
Moreover, water blockage on the Mekong River mainstream,
caused by more than 12 major hydroelectric dams in China and 5 major dams in
Laos, has resulted in a shortage of water supplies for downstream agriculture,
people, and industry, especially in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam (Cuu Long River
Delta). While southern Vietnam is experiencing severe dryness, the lack of
water has caused significant damage to aquaculture and rice cultivation,
particularly due to the reduction in sediment every year (previously 160
million tons/year; now only 80 million tons/year—half the amount). The lack of
upstream water leads to droughts, followed by soil and water acidification, and
saline intrusion from the sea through tides from the estuary. The saltwater
also contaminates groundwater, causing salinization of the agricultural
environment (90% of the area has saltwater over 1 g/liter, and 70% of the area
has saltwater over 4 g/liter during the dry season). This phenomenon results in
erosion of riverbanks and shorelines.
Runoff and dam construction also minimize and prevent fish
biodiversity migration, which contributes to climate change and sea level rise
affecting the Mekong Delta. Specialists must propose practical and achievable
response solutions. China has promised to share water resources and data but
has yet to follow through. To survive and develop, people and society must
adapt to new living conditions by not fighting against extreme natural
phenomena, avoiding the harmful effects of climate change, and living in harmony
with nature. This can be facilitated through engineering works and a new way of
life. Additionally, measures should be taken to prevent acidification by
keeping the ground from becoming dry and ensuring that the surface water of
canals and fields remains clean. Many regulating ecological lakes should also
be built. Technological solutions must be "green" and
"soft," gradually eliminating the kinetic energy of river and coastal
erosion. Diplomatic action must also be taken reasonably and wisely with China
and Laos to protect the flow, alluvium, and flow stability of the Mekong Delta.
The consistent viewpoint of Vietnamese scientists is to
combine hard technology with green technology, handle the situation
intelligently, and apply AI and 4.0 technology. Conservation efforts should be
prioritized to address these challenges effectively and green development as
the foundation, avoiding harmful effects of nature, "living with
nature" to achieve high efficiency, ensuring productivity and quality of
crops and livestock for ecological and sustainable development, solid.
Author (s) Details
Ba Le Huy
Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade (HUIT), Vietnam.
Hoan Nguyen Xuan
Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade (HUIT), Vietnam.
Hong Anh Le Thi
Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade (HUIT), Vietnam.
Phong Nguyen Tan
Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade (HUIT), Vietnam.
Phuong Nguyen Vu
Hoang
Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade (HUIT), Vietnam.
Binh Thai Vu
Institute for Environment and Resources, Ho Chi Minh City National
University, Vietnam.
Son Lam Vinh
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), Vietnam.
Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-49729-57-5
