Rally on “Responding to Climate Change”

Dr. Phan Huy Thuc, Deputy Director of the Department of Health, spoke at the rally.

Attending the rally were Dr. Phan Huy Thuc, Deputy Director of the Department of Health ; leaders of the Medical Professional Affairs Department, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Western Hai Phong Regional Health Center, along with the school board and students of Chu Van An High School.

Scenes from the rally

Speaking at the rally, Deputy Director of the Department of Health Phan Huy Thuc emphasized: The main cause of climate change is the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas). Activities such as industry, agriculture, transportation, and deforestation emit greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane, trapping heat and causing global warming. In addition, climate change also has natural causes such as changes in the solar cycle, volcanic activity, and changes in the Earth's orbit. Climate change has been and continues to be a global challenge, causing serious consequences for human life such as increased natural disasters (storms, floods, droughts), health impacts (heat-related diseases, new epidemics), decreased food and water security, severe economic damage, and promoting migration and poverty. Recently, a series of very strong storms, such as Typhoon No. 10 (Bualoi), have shown serious consequences: not only causing property damage but also directly threatening the lives and health of the community. Or, before Typhoon No. 13 (Kalmaegi) even made landfall, the city of Hue was already severely flooded three times in one week...

Leaders of the Department of Health, leaders of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and delegates attended the rally.

To proactively respond to climate change, the city issued Decision No. 3167 dated September 11, 2019, approving the "Plan for responding to climate change in the health sector for the period 2019-2030 and a vision to 2050".

Dr. Phan Huy Thuc, Deputy Director of the Department of Health, emphasized the pioneering role of the education sector and the younger generation: Schools are the best places to equip students with knowledge and skills to adapt to climate change. Climate change education needs to be regularly integrated into the curriculum and extracurricular activities. Every youth union member and student should be an ambassador for green action, because every small action such as: saving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions; limiting the use of plastic waste, actively participating in the "Hai Phong joins hands to handle waste and fight plastic waste" movement; planting trees and protecting the living environment… has great significance.

A representative from Chu Van An High School stated: “In order to contribute to mitigating the impacts of climate change, the school has organized awareness campaigns for students on ‘green living’ during youth union meetings and extracurricular activities. The school’s Youth Volunteer Team regularly organizes clean-up and garbage collection activities in the area, contributing to building a green, clean, and beautiful environment… To practically respond to climate change prevention and control activities, each student at the school enhances their understanding of climate change, changes habits and lifestyles towards saving energy whenever possible; actively participates in environmental protection activities, such as planting trees, cleaning water sources, and disseminating knowledge about climate change to those around them…”

Students from the school gave speeches in support of the initiative.

Nguyen Hong Hao, a 12th-grade student from Chu Van An High School, said: “Through this rally, I feel the program is very meaningful, and it has helped us to better understand climate change. I have become aware of the importance of climate change, and from there I will spread the word and encourage my relatives, friends, and family to join hands in protecting the environment…”

Participate in the parade along the main streets of the western wards of Hai Phong.

Following the rally, members of the Youth Union of the City's Center for Disease Control and Prevention and delegates participated in a parade along several main streets in the western wards of Hai Phong.

Source: https://soyte.haiphong.gov.vn/tin-hoat-dong/mit-tinh-ung-pho-bien-doi-khi-hau-809460