Vietnam Calls For International Cooperation To Overcome Climate Change Crisis

Big trees in Hanoi fell after Typhoon Yagi hit northern Vietnam with winds up to 150 km/hour on September 7, 2024. (BBC/EPA)

JAKARTA - International cooperation is key to dealing with damage caused by climate change and ensuring no one is left behind, said Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Vietnam's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva.

In a speech on the UN Secretary-General's report on human rights and climate change as part of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Vietnamese diplomat emphasized that climate change has had a serious impact on the fulfillment of basic human rights.

Typhoons of Yagi that hit the Philippines, China and Vietnam, as well as floods in Bangladesh, he said, are a clear example of the destructive influence of extreme weather patterns, which not only cause great harm to humans, but also force people to flee their homes, destroy infrastructure, and affect long-term economic developments.

Dung specifically emphasized that vulnerable groups such as women, children, and communities in developing countries have the most impact.

Therefore, equal solutions are needed, by prioritizing support for those most affected, as well as helping them develop the ability to survive in the future.

He called on the international community to increase financial resources and implement human rights-based measures to address losses caused by climate change.

The 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council which took place over the past five weeks covered various programs, including six discussions on economic, cultural and social rights.