The event was part of the annual activities of the Vietnam Water Cooperation Initiative (VACI) whose aims include the creation of opportunities for enterprises to voice their standpoints on and make commitments to the protection of water resources and the environment, looking towards building and developing a sustainable economy in water resources.

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At the opening ceremony

According to statistics from the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, since 1980, the total volume of exploited water in the world has increased by more than 1 percent a year, posing a greater pressure for different countries and territories.

Currently, nearly 780 million people across the world have yet to have access to safe and clean water. Meanwhile, both surface and ground water resources are on the decline and continue to be polluted.

As estimated by the United Nations, the globe will need an additional 30 percent of clean water in 2030 in comparison to the present and that demand could rise to 44 percent in 2050. We all should be disturbed by this!

Running until March 8, the week has drawn the participation of representatives from 20 nations.

Highlights during the week include a plenary session themed “Water and sustainable development goals,” 23 seminars with nearly 500 scientific reports and speeches on monitoring and forecasting water resources, climate change adaptation in Asian river basins, cross-border water management, an exhibition on photos and technological products related to water resources, and two courses under the themes “Applying satellite technology to water resource management” and  “Monitoring and forecasting water resources”.

Translated by Mai Huong