Nam Dinh, 10/08/2014, more than 3,000 catholics in Lieu De Parish (Lieu De town, Nghia Hung district) and Kien Lao Parish (Lao Kien commune, Xuan Truong district) have been raised awareness of environmental protection and climate change adaptation through two presentations of climate change experts at the two churches. This action was implemented by the co-operation between Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) and The Social and Charitable Committee of Bui Chu Diocese (Caritas Bui Chu) in Nam Dinh Province.     

The presentations were one of the activities in response to the Environmental Action Week of Bui Chu Diocese, aiming at introducing people about the status of environmental pollution, climate change and the negative impacts on local people’s lives. Besides the general information, the talks emphasized current status of air and water pollution in Lieu De town and Kien Lao commune, and provided specific and practical suggestions to restrict as well as to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution on human health in the region such as collecting waste, dumping garbage in right places, wearing masks while making contact with metal dust, etc.

Coordinating with religious organizations in raising awareness of environmental protection and climate change adaptation, is one of the orientations that SRD is applying to communication activities in the future.Raising public awareness on environmental and climate change is part of the Vietnam Forests and Deltas (VFD) project sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in which, SRD is one of the implementing partners. 

Xuan Thuan - SRD-VFD Project