The seminar focused on ways to protect the province’s biosphere reserves and support local residents facing climate change challenges.

In recent years, the consequences of climate change on natural resources have clearly intensified and low-lying lands along the coastline are the most endangered, according to the experts.

However, the salt-marsh forest’s ecosystem can also help limit consequences of climate change.

In November last year, an investigation into the impacts of climate change was conducted on the east and west sides of Ca Mau province. Land erosion had been happening in both areas at the rate of 20 to 40 metres every year, it found.

Farmers who farm shrimp in the area say sea water levels have risen continuously over the past few years. In Ngoc Hien district, farmers say the yield has been reducing since 1994, in particular over the past three years.

The rise in sea levels has been a big concern of scientists and authorities in Ca Mau. According to statistics presented by Le Xuan Thuyen of HCM City Natural Science University, from 1998 to 2008, the average sea level in the province’s Nam Can district rose nearly 10cm over 21 years or an average of 16.8mm per year.

Katherine Muller-Marin, representative and Head of UNESCO Office in Hanoi, said the Ca Mau Cape World Biosphere Reserve was part of a biosphere reserve network in the world, so finding measures to protect the reserve from climate change should be taken immediately.

The contribution of the reserves to the world was not small and the capacity of mangrove forests to prevent and mitigate climate change impacts cannot be denied, she said, adding that people who live near the area and benefit from the resources must take part in protecting it.

“Education is key to protecting the area and the residents themselves from climate change and we must make sure the community takes part in the protection,” she said.

Ly Van Nhan of the Ca Mau Cape Biosphere Reserve Management Board, said in recent years, the impact of climate change in Ca Mau, the province with a 252km long coastline, had become clear.

The province was listed the second most vulnerable locality in the Mekong Delta to climate change, he said.

With a 0.7m rise in sea levels, 28 percent of the province’s land will be submerged and if the sea level rises 1m, Ca Mau will have 52 percent of its areas flooded, including the districts of Tran Van Thoi, Cai Nuoc, U Minh and Ca Mau city./.

(VNA)