Experts from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, have presented solutions to help Ho Chi Minh City address climate change and flooding issues while enhancing the city's natural disaster forecasting and warning capabilities.

Last Friday, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong had a meeting with vice-mayor of Rotterdam Vincent Karremans and his entourage to discuss the implementation of cooperation agreements between the two cities.

Cuong noted that the Netherlands, particularly Rotterdam, is one of the city's leading partners in climate change adaptation.

The cities signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in climate change adaptation, water resource management, and port development on July 31, 2023.

Speaking at the meeting, Vu Thuy Linh, an expert from the Hydrometeorology and Climate Change Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment, shared climate change scenarios for Ho Chi Minh City.

The Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 temperature scenario indicates that the city's temperature is estimated to increase by 0.53-0.59 degrees Celsius by 2025, 0.8-0.81 degrees Celsius by 2030, and 1.23-1.33 degrees Celsius by 2050.

The RCP 4.5 rainfall scenario predicts that precipitation in Ho Chi Minh City will increase by 8-13 percent, 12-21 percent, and 13-15 percent by 2025, 2030, and 2050, respectively.

The sea level rise scenario also forecasts that by 2030, sea levels in Ho Chi Minh City will rise by 12cm.

According to Cuong, the city has issued an action plan to respond to climate change for the 2021-30 period, with a vision to 2050.

Additionally, the city has issued a plan to implement the flood control and wastewater treatment program in 2024-25.

Similarly, 85 percent of Rotterdam is below sea level. Heavy rainfall is a real challenge for the municipality.

Therefore, the Dutch city relies on 1,100 pumping stations to keep it dry, according to Rotterdam’s Program Manager for Climate Adaptation Johan Verlinde.

Rotterdam has initiated the construction of water squares featuring many basins that collect and store water when it rains.

In dry weather, residents can use these basins for skateboarding or other sports.

“We can store 1.6 billion liters of rainwater," Verlinde said at the meeting.

"We retain the rainwater in these reservoirs for 24 hours. And they reduce the stress on the sewer system.”

Besides flooding, Rotterdam is also concerned about the increasing heat and drought resulting from climate change.

The Dutch city harvests rainwater and then temporarily stores it underneath the soft field outside the city.

When the dry period comes, the water is pumped up to irrigate a soccer field.

Climate change response efforts in Rotterdam require significant collaboration from the private sector.

Verlinde stated that the city has strict rules and regulations regarding the requirement to store rainwater in construction projects.

Talking with Tuoi Tre News after the meeting with Ho Chi Minh City’s working group, vice-mayor Karremans emphasized that both cities need cooperation between the public sector, the private sector, and citizens to address climate change.

He noted that he observed significant progress in public-private cooperation in Thu Duc City, which is under the administration of Ho Chi Minh City, and mentioned the Sala urban area.

Thu Duc is also an area where Rotterdam is very keen on collaboration schemes.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!