About 250 managers, architects and civil engineers, both domestic and international, attended a seminar in Da Nang on Thursday entitled “Integrated Urban Development - Towards Green Urban Development and Climate Change Adaptation in Viet Nam”.  The event was co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the German Society for International Cooperation.

Discussed at the event were issues relating to Viet Nam’s current and future urban development, green urban development orientations, and sustainable urban development plans to adapt to climate change.

The participants also discussed some integrated approaches for sustainable green urban growth, the risks and abilities to cope with urban flooding, and mainstreaming climate change in urban planning to develop solutions for sustainable urbanisation.

Viet Nam is witnessing a rapid rate of urbanisation in terms of both quality and quantity.  So far, about 770 urban areas have been developed across the country, equivalent to over 33% of the country’s total planned urbanisation.  Apart from positive results, the rapid urbanisation has, however, created some pressing problems which bring conflicts between ecology and the living environment.  These include environmental pollution, effluent discharge, and the depletion of natural and energy resources.