"Given that the country is on the frontline of the impacts, it can become a laboratory for effective adaptation methods," the co-founder and media director of 350.org, a US-based organisation and website dedicated to raising people’s awareness and communicating measures to counter the change, said.

A fish pond in Thanh Tri District in Soc Trang Province is dried out. Information on climate change may be provided to farmers to help them protect their lives.

He was speaking at a press briefing in HCM City on Wednesday where he was on a week-long trip at the invitation of the US consulate to hold discussions with local experts, organisations, and universities on climate change and media efforts to raise awareness.

He took a field trip to Can Gio District’s mangrove forests and was impressed with the Women’s Union efforts to educate the community about environmental health and protecting the forests.

"Since women bear the brunt of climate change, it is fantastic to see the Women’s Union take the leadership and set climate change as a priority.

"That’s the experience Viet Nam can share with the world."

The climate change was also "one of the greatest areas" for co-operation between the US and Viet Nam, especially in developing green energies and technologies, sharing resources within partnerships between governmental agencies and between universities, he said.

"The country is taking on the issue in a serious way and seizing opportunities to invest in new industries," he said, noting that climate change was helping steer economies away from fossil fuels.

"Even university students asked me how they can be part of new industries."

Raising awareness

"Raising awareness is so important to help people in the rural areas have information they need to adapt to the climate change."

Given that farmers in remote areas did not have access to the internet and electricity to use radios or televisions, culture could be a great tool for educating them about climate change, he said. "We can use short plays or puppet shows to tell stories about what is happening."

Besides, a link should be established between city and rural people to enable exchange of information and experiences.

"Students from the city can bring technical knowledge of climate change to farmers and learn from them how they protect their lives," he said, noting that farmers saw with their eyes what was changing but did not know the scientific terminology for it.

He said the Climate Change Media Partnership was a great vehicle for journalists from around the world to bring local stories to global attention.

His organisation would mark Global Day on October 10, and Viet Nam would be one of the focuses of attention on "10-10-10," he said.

"The event will be a lot different in Viet Nam because it is especially vulnerable."

Bike rides to raise awareness, tree planting, cleaning up the coastline, and professor-student discussion sessions on the issues are among the activities planned by 350.org together with its local partners for Global Day in Viet Nam.

"We’re still coming up with exciting new ideas for the day," he said, noting that the day, which would coincide with Ha Noi’s millennium anniversary, would be a chance to think of the next 1,000 years.

Beginning in the US with just a small group of people, 350.org now has staff and partner organisations from 180 countries.

In Viet Nam, it has been working with student volunteers to raise awareness of climate change and swap stories and photos about what was happening in the rest of the world, and has been seeking to build partnerships with more local organisations.