The Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment has completed a set of scenarios for climate
change in Vietnam
which is expected to provide an initial basis for ministries and localities to
work out plans to cope with climate change.
According to the scenarios, by the end of the 21st century Vietnam’s
average temperature will rise 2.3 degrees Celsius above the average level of
the 1980-1999 period.
It is forecast that temperature rises will range from 1.6-2.8 degrees
Celsius in different climatic regions. The increases will be greater in
northern and northcentral provinces than in southern provinces. Winter
temperatures will rise more rapidly than summer temperatures.
The scenarios also show more rainfall in the future for the whole year and
for the rainy season, but less rainfall for the dry season, especially in the
southern region. The tendency is predicted to be more pronounced in the north.
Regarding sea levels, experts said Vietnam’s sea levels are likely to
rise 30cm by the middle of the 21st century and 75cm by the end of
the 21st century as compared with the 1980-1999 period.
Tran Thuc, a scientist from an institute for hydro-meteorological
research, says these scenarios take into account average parameters only
because there’s considerable uncertainty about climate change.
