In spite of being implemented in 2011, the Government-supported agriculture insurance programme which aims to protect farmers against losses of crops and livestock has so far failed to attract farmers due to high premium and complicated procedures.
The household of Tran Huy Cuong, a farmer in Lap Thach district in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, was among 6,000 local households to buy agriculture insurance while it was being trialled in 2011-2013.
After a year, he decided to end the participation because the insurance premium was high and the compensation rate remained too low.
“Pigs’ pneumonia, which is a common disease, is not covered, meanwhile, the insurance covers less common illnesses or those that have vaccines,” he told Nong Thon Ngay Nay (Countryside Today) newspaper.
During the trial between 2011 and 2013, participating households in Vinh Phuc province were mostly near-poor households. The participation number remained low compared to the total number of farmers.
Truong Cong Thang, deputy head of the provincial Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Veterinary, said there are not many insurance companies participating in the programme because the provincial small-scale production has exposed to high risks of losses due to low market prices and increasing prices of feed.
Even large scale cooperatives do not think it is necessary to buy insurance for their produce.
Tran Thanh Son, Director of Binh Dinh Cooperative, a big cooperative in northern Thai Binh province specialising in seedlings, irrigation and fertilisers, has neither heard about agriculture insurance nor bought any type of insurance for his production. But he thinks the insurance application process will be complicated.
Farmers of the cooperative earn less than 1 million VND (43.5 USD) per 360sq.m in each season, not to mention someone who suffers from losses or enjoys zero profit. It is such a hard task to persuade them to buy high-cost agriculture insurance, he said.
If the Government supports 100 percent of the insurance premium for poor and near-poor households and 80 percent for other households, the farmers will be able to participate in the scheme, he said.
More support from Government
In June this year, the Government issued a decision to allocate more funds for localities to implement the agriculture insurance programme.
The subjects covered by agriculture insurance are rice plants, buffaloes, cows, black tiger prawn and white-legged shrimp.
An individual who works in agriculture and is from a poor or near-poor household will receive support of up to 90 percent for agricultural insurance premium from the Government.
Others who are not from poor or near-poor households will receive assistance of 20 percent.
Organisations which engage in agricultural production will be offered 20 percent of fees if they meet specific requirements.
The assistance will be valid from June 26, 2019 until the end of 2020.
Nguyen Van Hinh, head of the agricultural development sub-department of An Giang province in the Mekong Delta, said the local authorities find it difficult to implement the new decision. Although the Government offers high rates of financial assistance to poor farmers, most poor households in the province do not have land to plant rice.
Agriculture expert, Professor Vo Tong Xuan, principal of Nam Can Tho University, said the decision has demonstrated good will of the Government but it might be difficult to implement. Farmers hesitate to apply for insurance due to the distance they have to travel, lacking knowledge about conditions required by insurance companies and complicated procedures.
Local authorities must get involved to support farmers, he said.
Hoang Xuan Dieu, former director of Agricultural Insurance Department of Bao Viet Insurance Corporation, said: “We should persuade farmers so they understand buying insurance is to share production risks. In case of losses, they will receive compensation and from there, they can reinvest in their production.”
The ‘Vietnamese give priority to Vietnamese goods’ campaign received an active response from people from all walks of life
Over the past 10 years, the ‘Vietnamese give priority to Vietnamese goods’ campaign has been widely deployed and received an active response from people from all walks of life and the business community. In addition to promoting and increasing the value of domestic products, the campaign has helped to curb inflation, reduce trade deficit, and ensure supply and demand balance, as well as contribute to the national socio-economic development.
In recent years, along with the rapid growth of supermarkets and convenience stores in Vietnam, the volume of Vietnamese goods in domestic supermarkets has always accounted for over 90%. For traditional retail channels, the proportion of Vietnamese goods at markets and stores is at least 60%. Even in supermarkets with foreign capital, Vietnamese goods are also dominating, specifically, Lotte (82% in revenue and 84% in quantity), Big C (96% in revenue), AEON (80% in product code), MegaMarket (95% in product code).
The campaign has created a positive impact on the whole of society, helping consumers and agencies, units and organisations be better aware of their responsibilities and rights in using domestic products. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, this is an important factor to help the total retail and service flow of goods since 2009. It has continuously increased by about 10% per year, especially in the last three years, this increase continuously established new records of 10.2%, 10.9%, and 11.7%, respectively.
On the other hand, this is also the motivation for domestic industrial production to grow positively with an enhancing localisation rate. Accordingly, the growth rate of industrial production over the past years has increased significantly (2018: 10.2%; 2017: 9.4%; 2016: 7.5%; 2015: 9, 8%). In addition, some key industries such as garment-textile, footwear, automobile manufacturing, milk processing, yarn and dyeing have increased the rate of localisation and volume of science-technology in products.
The domestic business community has also built a sense of constantly improving and applying science and technology, renewing the process of production and management to create quality products. It can be seen that many domestic goods products have truly conquered consumers, many of which have become the pride of Vietnamese people.
The practical results from the campaign as well as the growth of the manufacturing and service industries have contributed significantly to curb inflation and stabilise the macro economy. Consumer price index (CPI) from the inflation rate of 19.8% in 2008 has dropped to below 5% in recent years. Particularly, the country has shifted from a trade deficit to a trade surplus. In 2010, Vietnam's trade deficit was US$12.5 billion, but by 2018, Vietnam recorded a trade surplus of nearly US$7.2 billion.
Obviously, the campaign has affirmed the intended direction of the Party and State, which has great significance in many aspects. It has upheld the national pride and self-esteem in every Vietnamese person, enhanced the responsibilities of branches and sectors, contributed to building a self-reliant economy as well as promoting the national strength to help Vietnamese enterprises stand firm and overcome difficulties in the integration trend. This is also considered an important premise for the campaign to continue to be effectively implemented in the coming time, especially in the context of the country’s deeper integration and the expansion of the international market.
However, besides the advantages, Vietnamese enterprises will also face pressure from having to comply with commitments in free trade agreements that Vietnam has joined as well as opening and cutting down tariff lines according to the roadmap of the FTAs. In addition, competitive pressure in the domestic market with imported goods as well as the production of FDI enterprises is very fierce. Some Vietnamese products are not competitive enough in quality, design, packaging, after-sales service, etc. More seriously, trade fraud and counterfeit goods have been getting more complicated, causing a negative impact on the Vietnamese brand.
In order to further promote the campaign in the coming time, it is necessary to strengthen communication to raise awareness and responsibilities of producers and consumers for the production and use of Vietnamese goods, as well as strengthening coordination among ministries, sectors and localities for domestic market development. More effective measures should also be devised to increase the value of Vietnamese brands to make inroads into international markets.
Ninety children of 19 ethnic minority groups in Dien Bien province gathered at the Children’s Forum jointly held by the provincial People’s Committee, the World Vision Vietnam and the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in the Northern mountainous locality on July 31.
Themed “Children with children’s issues,” the event created a venue for children to voice their ideas and aspirations, as well as put forth proposals concerning several noticeable problems like drowning, violence and abuse of children, impact of digital technology on children’s development, child trafficking, and early marriage.
At the forum (Photo: giaoducthoidai.vn)
Through presentations, art performances and paintings, the children expressed their hope to live in a safer environment, have better care, receive life skill education, and particularly have their opinions respected.
Speaking at the forum, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Quy said although a wide range of policies have been carried out to protect children’s rights, many in remote areas are suffering tremendous disadvantages.
He asked competent agencies, districts and towns to strictly implement the Law on Children, and promote effective models to take care of the children such as “safe house,” “safe school” and “safe community,” as well as those preventing violence and abuse of children.
Due attention must be paid to carrying out regulations on receiving information and coordinating actions to handle child abuse cases.
He called on businesses to join hands with local authorities to create more playgrounds for children.
Within the framework of the forum, children had a chance to offer incense at A1 war cemetery, visit the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum, and exchange with disadvantaged children at the center for social protection of children, and SOS children’s village.
Vietnam actively participated in the negotiation process and building of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and has made significant efforts in enforcing the pact.
The country has a coastline of more than 3,260km and thousands of islands, including the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.
Aware of the importance of the sea, Vietnam has always upheld the principles and goals of the UNCLOS while taking actions to contribute to the implementation of the convention.
Before the UNCLOS came into force, Vietnam had utilized relevant provisions of international law to build domestic legal documents on seas.
In 1977, Vietnam issued the Declaration of the Government on Vietnam’s territorial waters, which declared its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
Photo for illustration
The declaration was issued when the UNCLOS was being negotiated and it was supported by the majority of countries at the third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, reflecting Vietnam’s contributions to the codification of international law.
With this declaration, Vietnam together with Kenya, Myanmar, Cuba, Yemen, Dominica, Guatemala, India, Pakistan, Mexico and the Seychelles were considered among the pioneering countries in making “exclusive economic zone” customary international law and later became a key content of the UNCLOS.
Vietnam was among 107 countries signing the UNCLOS in Montego Bay, Jamaica, right after the pact was open for signature and was among the first countries ratifying it before it took effect.
In 1994, the National Assembly of Vietnam issued a resolution approving the UNCLOS. The resolution affirmed Vietnam’s sovereignty over its internal waters, territorial waters as well as its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the contiguous sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf on the basis of the UNCLOS provisions and the rules of international law, demanding other countries respect Vietnam’s rights.
The resolution also affirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and its policies to settle disputes and other differences related to the East Sea through peaceful talks in a spirit of equality, mutual understanding and mutual respect, and respect for international law.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the official entry into force of the UNCLOS and the 25th anniversary of Vietnam’s ratification of the UNCLOS.
As a member of the UNCLOS, Vietnam is entitled to a 12-nautical mile territorial sea, 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of at least 200 nautical miles.
To demonstrate the obligations and goodwill of a signatory of the UNCLOS, Vietnam has always respected and implemented its obligations defined by the UNCLOS, improved its national legal system, and applied the UNCLOS provisions in identifying its waters, delimitation of maritime boundaries with neighboring countries and marine usage.
Vietnam has also worked with other countries in line with the UNCLOS regulations for the sustainable preservation and use of marine resources.
In 2012, Vietnam approved the Law of the Sea of Vietnam, an important step to translating the provisions of the UNCLOS into domestic legislation, creating favorable conditions for synchronous management of territorial waters and marine economic development.
The National Assembly also approved the Vietnam Maritime Code in 2015, which came into effect on July 1, 2017.
The legislature passed a series of other sea-related legal documents such as the Law on national border in 2003, Law on environmental protection in 2014 and Law on natural resources and sea and island environment in 2015.
Vietnam has made great efforts to apply the UNCLOS in delimitation of marine boundary with neighboring countries.
Specifically, Vietnam and Thailand signed an agreement on settling the maritime boundary between the two countries in the Gulf of Thailand on August 9, 1997, Vietnam and China signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Tonkin Gulf and another on fisheries cooperation on December 25, 2000, and Vietnam and Indonesia signed an agreement on the delimitation of continental shelf on June 26, 2003.
Further, Vietnam has protected international law, including the UNCLOS. While discussing disputes in the East Sea, Vietnam has consistently demanded respect for international law and the UNCLOS, considering it a principle to settle and resolve sea-related disputes.
Vietnam has made endeavors in incorporating this principle in ASEAN documents, including the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), ASEAN Six-point Principles on the East Sea and the draft Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Such contents as international law and UNCLOS for long-term resolution of disputes in the East Sea were included in the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues signed between Vietnam and China on November 10, 2011.
Based on the provisions of the UNCLOS, Vietnam has effectively deployed marine economic development activities in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf within 200 nautical miles in favor of national development.
Vietnam has been fostering cooperation with relevant parties in marine environmental protection, search and rescue on sea, natural disaster prevention and implementation of measures to combat crime, contributing to the implementation of the UNCLOS.
In addition, Vietnam has participated in developing international and inter-regional sea-related mechanisms and legal documents such as the Convention on the International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
The country has also joined the Conventions of the International Maritime Organization.
This is part of a series of features from across the globe on human trafficking. IPS coverage is supported by the Riana Group.
The United States is no exception to the practice of modern day slavery—a crime for which it is rarely held accountable at the United Nations.
A rash of hidden crimes widespread in US inner cities and border towns include forced migrant labour, human trafficking, sexploitation of minors and domestic servitude.
In its 2018 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, the US State Department said that despite its global reach, human trafficking takes place locally — "in a favorite nail salon or restaurant; in a neighborhood home or popular hotel; on a city street or rural farm"
But four recent high profiles cases of human trafficking and commercialized sex have laid bare the growing problem in big cities and far corners of the US.
First, there is the ongoing investigation of a mega millionaire facing federal charges of running a sex trafficking operation luring dozens of underage girls, some of them as young as 14.
Second, the case of an African-American singer accused of engaging in illegal sex activities involving 10 women, eight of whom were minors, and paying them hush money to remain silent. But both have pleaded not guilty.
Third, the arrests July 25 of 16 marines from the US Marine Corps, one of the elitist services in the American armed forces, who are under investigation on charges of human trafficking, drug smuggling and transportation of undocumented Mexican migrants.
And last February, the New York Times ran a frontpage story about a billionaire-owner of a famous American football team who was charged on two counts of soliciting sex as part of a wide-ranging investigation into prostitution and suspected human trafficking in the US state of Florida.
These stories have been splashed across US newspapers triggering the question: how widespread is modern slavery in the US, a country frequently described by President Donald Trump "as the greatest in the world."
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says every year, "millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States".
And trafficking can happen in any community while victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality, says DHS.
In an interview with IPS, Romina Canessa, a human rights lawyer and program officer at Equality Now's "End Sex Trafficking" team, said: "Unfortunately, we do not have any exact numbers on how widespread sex trafficking is in the USA"
"We do know that America is a source, destination, and transit country for trafficking. We also know that the majority of trafficking victims in the USA are from within the country and that the most prevalent form of trafficking is sex trafficking of women and girls," she added.
Writing in the New York Times July 19, Elizabeth Melendez Fisher, co-founder and chief executive of Selah Freedon/Selah Way Foundation, says the sexual abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women and children have always occurred (in the US).
The positive aspect of recent cases in human trafficking "is that we as a society are finally no longer turning a blind eye."
Urmila Bhoola of South Africa, the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, told IPS last March that slavery was the first human rights issue to arouse wide international concern.
But it still continues today—"and slavery-like practices also remain a grave and persistent problem".
She said "traditional forms of slavery have been criminalized and abolished in most countries, but contemporary forms of slavery are still prevalent in all regions of the world".
In an oped piece for IPS last December, Romy Hawatt, a Founding Member of the Global Sustainability Network (GSN ) pointed out that a 2018 report by the Global Slavery Index estimated some 403,000 people being trapped in modern slavery in the U.S. – seven times higher than previous figures.
He said the pernicious persistence of modern day slavery is one of the reasons it is addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the UN General Assembly in 2015 building on many of the accomplishments of the original Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)-- but which did not address human rights, slavery or human trafficking and were often criticized for being too narrow.
In particular, Goal 8 of the 17 SDGs is the goal to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, whilst Goal 8.7 specifically addresses modern day slavery and human trafficking, he added.
And it is worth noting, he argued, that SDG 8.7 is also supported by two other SDG goals. SDG 5 for example aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, while SDG 16 seeks to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Canessa of Equality Now said currently, there is no official estimate for the numbers of victims in the USA, nor are there reliable resources. There are statistics, for example, on the number of federal sex trafficking cases but this isn't an accurate representation as many cases aren't prosecuted or are prosecuted under different laws for various reasons.
She said cases frequently go undetected or unreported. "Many sex trafficking victims are prevented from seeking help, and it is also common for people not to self-identify as someone who has been trafficking".
They may perceive themselves as offenders and fear being prosecuted by the authorities. This is one reason why Equality Now advocates against criminalizing people who sell sex, said Canessa, who served as an expert on developing global access to justice mechanisms, most notably helping to launch and implement the first alternative dispute resolution center in Kabul, Afghanistan
"There is just no good data on the true scale of sex trafficking anywhere in the world. Although accurate numbers aren't available on what is occurring in the USA, we know the majority of victims are domestic, thanks to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and US TIP reports, which are both excellent resources."
Under both international and US law, she said, movement is not required for trafficking although it can be included as one of the elements.
"All that is required is the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud or coercion". So, a person can be trafficked in their own hometown or even in their own home.
Any commercial sex act involving a child is trafficking, so no force, fraud or coercion is required, said Canessa, who has worked in Peru on anti-corruption, judicial and electoral reform projects, including promoting the role of women in politics.
Excerpts from the interview:
IPS: To what extent does sex trafficking involve migrants and refugees in the US?
CANESSA: Sex trafficking in the USA can involve migrants and refugees, and traffickers will often use an immigrant's legal status as a tool for coercion. Trafficking can involve nail salons, spas, farms, but also involves a wide range of other industries, including: hospitality; traveling sales; janitorial services; construction; restaurants; domestic work; childcare and looking after persons with disabilities; retail; fairs and carnivals; peddling and begging; drug smuggling and distribution, amongst others.
Trafficking can affect anyone but certain dynamics can place people at higher risk. Factors that can increase someone's vulnerability include being in foster care, a runaway or being young and homeless. Living in poverty, problems with immigration status, and being LGBTI are also risk factors.
IPS: Are there any international treaties or conventions against human trafficking?
CANESSA: Yes, the main international convention against human trafficking is the Palermo Protocol, which provides the definition of trafficking that is used in international law and the laws of many countries.
Most importantly, the Palermo Protocol establishes that any exploitation of anyone under 18 is considered trafficking (the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall be considered "trafficking in persons").
Under both international and US law, a person under 18 who is exploited for sex is a victim of trafficking and rape and not a "child prostitute."
The Global Sustainability Network ( GSN ) is pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 8 with a special emphasis on Goal 8.7 which ‘takes immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms'.
The origins of the GSN come from the endeavours of the Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders signed on 2 December 2014. Religious leaders of various faiths, gathered to work together "to defend the dignity and freedom of the human being against the extreme forms of the globalisation of indifference, such us exploitation, forced labour, prostitution, human trafficking" and so forth.
The successful organization of the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak earlier this year helped demonstrate Vietnam’s respect for the freedom of belief and religion, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said at a meeting on July 29.
The meeting was held by the Government’s working group and the People’s Committee of the northern province of Ha Nam to review the organization of the UN Day of Vesak 2019.
The UN Day of Vesak 2019 was hosted by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha at Tam Chuc Pagoda in Kim Bang district of Ha Nam from May 12 to 14. Themed “Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies”, it brought together 1,650 delegates from 112 countries and territories worldwide.
A boat performance on Tam Chuc Lake in front of Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam province on July 14 to mark the conclusion of the UN Day of Vesak 2019__Photo: VNA
Deputy PM Binh said thanks to efforts by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Xuan Truong company, along with the support of the Party and State’s leaders and relevant ministries, sectors and localities, the country created a memorable UN Day of Vesak, leaving a good impression on foreign friends and delegates to the event.
He stressed that the successful organization once again affirmed Vietnam’s support for the UN’s activities and the ethical values of religions, including Buddhism.
With the Ha Nam Declaration, the event further highlighted Vietnam’s consistent respect for the people’s freedom of belief and religion and the favorable conditions created for religions to be practiced in line with legal regulations. It also showed the country’s wish to be a friend and trustworthy partner of international friends, as well as a responsible member that always supports activities initiated and organized by the UN.
Through the UN Day of Vesak 2019, foreign friends gained an insight into the improvements in the religious life in Vietnam and learned more about the country’s land and people, he added.
At the meeting, 12 collectives and 13 individuals with outstanding achievements in the organization of the UN Day of Vesak 2019 were presented with merit certificates by the chairperson of the Ha Nam People’s Committee.
The UN’s commemoration of Vesak has been held three times in Vietnam so far. Previously, it took place in Hanoi in 2008 and Ninh Binh province in 2014.
The UN General Assembly on December 15, 1999 recognized the Day of Vesak to celebrate the thrice-sacred event of the life of the Buddha Gautama (birth, enlightenment and death) and to acknowledge the contributions that Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has made to humanity.
Do you prefer to hear good news or bad news first? I will begin by giving you the (unsurprisingly) bad news. Today's world is an unequal place. Standards of living vary massively both between and within countries.
To narrow it down to its most blunt statistic, if you were born in Hong Kong your life expectancy is nearly double that of someone born in Swaziland, 84 and 49 years, respectively.
The good news is that in recent decades many global indicators of living standards have improved. The Millennium Development Goals, a group of targets aimed at reducing poverty and raising living standards, were largely successful.
Those living in extreme poverty dropped from 1.9 billion in 1990 to 836 million in 2015, the proportion of undernourished people in low-income countries fell from 23 percent in 1990 to 13 percent in 2014, and worldwide primary school enrollment has reached 90 percent.
These statistics offer hope for a trajectory toward an equal world. There is more bad news, however, in that climate change threatens to undo this progress and create further inequity.
Climate change will be the definitive challenge of the 21st century, yet it is largely pushed aside in discussions of policies to address inequality. If warming is not limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels the results could nullify most, if not all, the progress made in reducing inequality.
Climate change will further magnify existing inequality as low- and middle-income countries will bear the brunt of its impact. As rainfall patterns become more unpredictable, sea levels rise, and storms become more intense, the expected impacts on low-income countries are severe.
An integral problem of advocating for action is that people perceive climate change as a distant threat, but its ramifications are already being witnessed in many parts of the world. Cities such as Dakar in Senegal are flooded annually.
The semi-arid Sahel region is encroaching on once fertile farmland. California was subjected to the deadliest wildfires in its history last year, with record amounts of land burnt to ash.
Climate change is an exemplary illustration of inequality in the 21st century. The United States is responsible for 26 percent of global cumulative greenhouse gases, and Europe is responsible for an additional 22 percent. In contrast, the entire continent of Africa contributes just 3.8 percent.
While high-income countries are responsible for the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions, it is the low-income countries that will face the repercussions. Many low-income countries are located in the tropics, which are far more vulnerable to rising temperatures than high-income temperate countries such as the United Kingdom.
Entire agricultural systems will be lost, famines will hit numerous areas, and diseases such as malaria are predicted to become more widespread. Already we are seeing pastoral farmers in Chad struggling to survive due to a lengthening dry season. The largest lake in the country, Lake Chad, has shrunk 90 percent in the past 50 years.
Nevertheless, this division is not solely between high- and low-income countries, it will also prevail within countries. Last year Harvard researchers coined the term "climate gentrification": properties at higher elevations in inland Miami were becoming more expensive due to flooding risks associated with climate change. Again, it will be those who cannot afford to buy their way to safety who are left in at-risk areas.
Along with creating new problems for low-income countries, climate change will exacerbate existing inequalities. Low-income countries do not have the fiscal capacity to deal with severe disruptions to infrastructure. Increased flooding will lead to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery due to damaged water provisioning services.
Cases of malnutrition are expected to rise dramatically as droughts in tropical areas result in lower crop yields. In countries such as Madagascar, where over 70 percent of the population are rural farmers, this will be devastating.
Due to the complex and far-reaching nature of climate change, the knock-on effects for low-income countries are multitudinous. It will make receiving a quality education more difficult, intensify existing gender inequalities, provoke conflict, destabilize governments, and force people to leave their homelands. These countries do not have the funds or support to deal with the scale of the problems climate change will bring.
"Climate migrant" is a term we will hear frequently; the World Bank predicts there may be up to 140 million such migrants by 2050. In Europe, the media often refer to refugees seeking security as a "crisis," yet 84 percent of refugees are currently within low-income countries, and people in poorer countries are roughly five times more likely to be displaced by weather events.
This is yet another burden low-income countries are left to deal with. Even high-income countries threatened by climate change are far more able to deal with its consequences. Shanghai, one of the cities most vulnerable to flooding, has been building flood-defense infrastructure since 2012; one such project is expected to cost £5 billion. Low-income countries do not have such capital to invest.
This brings us to the main question: what can be done to tackle the problem? Many things, actually. The two main aspects of dealing with climate change are mitigation and adaptation. As high-income countries produce the majority of greenhouse gas emissions, the onus is on us to minimize them.
It seems that climate scientists are finally winning the battle of awareness, as a recent poll found that 73 percent of Americans now believe that climate change is occurring, a record high. Furthermore, 72 percent said it was personally important to them.
This is significant because it puts the onus on governments and companies to act in citizens' interests. Mobilizing the public to put pressure on these groups will be the true turning point, and there are already signs of this happening.
Over 70,000 people marched in Brussels in January demanding better climate action from the government, and citizen groups all over the world—including in Ireland, where I am writing this—are taking their governments to court over lack of action on climate change.
The key point is that minimizing emissions sooner rather than later is an imperative as it is ultimately the cheaper and easier option. While there has been a focus on individual actions in reducing emissions, such as choosing low-emission transportation and buying seasonal produce, it is about time that governments and the private sector stepped up to the plate.
The 2017 Carbon Majors Report found that just 100 companies have produced over 70 percent of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions since 1988. This statistic gives us an opening to create proper, systemic change through demanding better practice from these corporations.
The private sector has a great ability to bring about lasting change not only by mitigating climate change but also by bringing people out of poverty through employment. As many countries turn toward nationalism, the private sector is one of only a few candidates in the search for a climate leader.
That said, climate change will not be mitigated without governmental cooperation through environmental policies such as carbon taxes, national adaptation plans, and participation in multilateral treaties.
Economic activity in the 20th century was largely based on fossil fuels, and carbon taxation will speed up development and adoption of alternative fuel sources. Climate change is a transboundary issue and requires global collaboration to both mitigate its effects and assist lower-income countries with adaptation.
Mitigation and adaptation are not a silver bullet for tackling existing inequalities across the world. This will be achieved through policymaking and reform of tax systems in conjunction with tackling climate change.
However, I chose to write about climate change as I found it was largely sidelined in discussions surrounding inequality. Until climate change is mitigated and vulnerable countries are helped to adapt to its impacts, no true progress can be made in the quest to tackle inequality.
If inequality is truly an issue that high-income countries care about, as they claim to, then they will not let climate change continue on its current pathway to devastating low-income populations.
At present we are certainly not on track to limit atmospheric warming to 1.5 degrees by the end of this century. We are not even on track to limit it to 3 degrees. According to current estimates we will reach 4 degrees warming by 2100, a year that babies born today in places like Hong Kong (but not Swaziland) will live to see.
With young activists like Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old who gave an impassioned climate advocacy speech at Davos, I have hope that future leaders will act on this issue, but we cannot afford to wait for them. We need climate leaders now.
Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy has led a Vietnamese delegation to attend a ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), calling on this movement to continue taking the lead in promoting the adherence to the United Nations Charter and international law.
The meeting was held in Caracas on July 20 and 21 under the chair of Venezuela, head of the NAM Coordinating Bureau, to prepare for the NAM Summit slated for this October in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN__Photo: VNA
More than 50 NAM member states along with some observer and guest countries took part in the event, themed “Promotion and Consolidation of Peace through Respect for International Law”.
In his speech, Ambassador Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN, highly value the NAM’s role and contributions to peace maintenance and cooperation promotion.
He affirmed the importance of enhancing unanimity and solidarity on the basis of the movement’s fundamental principles, especially independence and not being affected by external pressure and interference, especially of big countries.
The diplomat stressed that the NAM needs to keep bringing into play its role in promoting the adherence to the UN Charter and international law, along with the respect for international commitments and agreements. It should also step up efforts to create an open, equal, transparent and rules-based multilateral trade system that ensures the interests of developing countries.
In terms of the Southeast Asia and East Sea situations, Quy highlighted the role and contributions of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly in fostering cooperation and dialogue; maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; ensuring navigation and aviation freedom in the region; peacefully resolving conflicts and disputes on the basis of international law, including the UN Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; respecting diplomatic and legal processes; fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea; and promoting negotiations to soon finalize an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the waters that is in line with international law.
The ambassador called on countries concerned to exercise self-restraint and avoid actions complicating the situation, including unilateral actions and militarization in the East Sea.
He also updated participants about the recent developments in the East Sea, calling on NAM member states to understand and support ASEAN’s common stance, which he described as a manifestation of their respect for international law and solidarity with the countries in the region.
Vietnam pledges to contribute to the NAM’s development on the basis of the movement’s fundamental principles, Quy noted, thanking the member countries for electing Vietnam a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.
At the meeting, participants adopted several documents, including the Caracas Political Declaration and the Political Declaration of the NAM Ministerial Committee on Palestine
Viet Nam Human Rights
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