Hai made the commitment at the 3^rd National Disaster Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation Forum in Hanoi on October 10 to emphasise the pressing nature of both missions.

Hai reiterated Vietnam’s vulnerability to climate change’s repercussions. The intensity of natural disasters continues to increase, causing greater losses of all kinds.

Recognising its threat to national sustainable development, Vietnam has adopted the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, he said.

He appreciated international support in enhancing Vietnam’s climate change adaptation capacity, bringing practical benefits to the community. Vietnam has defined 62 prioritised projects to be undertaken, of which 16 have been put in place in 2013.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat said his ministry has worked with relevant ministries, agencies and localities to realise disaster mitigation measures.

It has upgraded storm and flood prevention infrastructure, build storm shelters for ships and vessels, planted and protected upstream forests, increased community-based disaster management, and integrated disaster mitigation into the agriculture restructuring programme.

Phat said that despite suffering more disasters over the past five years, the number of resulting fatalities has fallen by 8% and injuries by 17%.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Minh Quang said protecting national security and sustainable development growth in the context of global climate change requires redoubled efforts to reduce poverty, achieve gender equality, manage natural resources, defend social welfare and communal health, and raise public awareness of climate change dangers.

Domestic and foreign experts shared their experience in disaster mitigation and climate change adaptation, evaluated Vietnam’s past five years of environmental programmes and initiatives, and examined the results of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2011–2013).

Forum participants also discussed policy and legislation related to climate change adaptation and improving the business community’s capacity to manage disaster risk.