At a workshop held in Hanoi o­n August 25, Vietnamese water resource expert Nguyen Ty Nien said Vietnam is facing a prolonged water shortage in many rivers and streams in the dry season and more than 60 percent of Vietnam’s water sources came from other countries.

He also pointed out serious water pollution at many river basins and degrading water resources due to economic growth over recent decades.

Climate change has resulted in different rainfall patterns and caused serious flooding in the rainy season and droughts in the dry season, contributing to increasing challenges in the utilisation of water in major rivers like the Red and Mekong Rivers , the workshop was told.

Participants said that it is useful and necessary to share experiences and lessons o­n climate change with the US and international community, and to encourage the local community’s involvement in river basin management.

Director of Flood Management Policy at American Rivers Shana Udvardy said that the future water of resources has become unstable and human adaptation to climate change depends o­n human choices.