Young people volunteer to pick rubbish to clean the beach in central Quảng Nam Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Đỗ Trưởng

HÀ NỘI — Young Vietnamese people should take actions to protect the environment to create a better Việt Nam for future generations, an event heard.

This was highlighted by participants at a celebration held in Hà Nội on Wednesday by the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) and the United Nations in Việt Nam to mark the 2020 International Youth Day.

This year’s celebration has the theme 'Việt Nam we want in 2030: The Youth act for a clean environment'.

The event aimed to affirm the youth’s role in offering measures related to climate change, environmental protection and plastic waste management.

In his opening speech, Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Youth of Việt Nam Nguyễn Ngọc Lương called for raising youths’ awareness of environmental protection laws and the harmful impact of plastic waste on the environment.

"All members of the Youth Union at all levels, as well as all other young people, need to raise awareness among their communities on climate change, environmental protection, and the negative impact of plastic bags and waste through modern communication channels and on social media," he said.

It is necessary to strengthen the capacity, knowledge and skills of the Youth Union, and other youth organisations on environmental protection on how to cope with climate change, to pilot and popularise models of environmental protection and adaptability to climate change, and to promote innovative green start-ups and green business ideas, he said.

Speaking at the event, Chief Representative of UNESCO in Việt Nam Michael Croft, also Co-chair of the UN Youth Working Group, said today’s young people have played a special role in the global dialogue on climate change and are making their voices heard in inspiring ways.

Increasing ambition and implementing national climate strategies would simply not be possible without meaningful youth participation, he said, adding that young people have to be involved in every step to ensure the process incorporates youth considerations and innovations to protect future generations.

Representatives from several youth groups and companies specialised in green materials offered proposals regarding climate change and sustainable development.
On the occasion, UN agencies in Việt Nam also introduced the UN75 Initiative – a short survey to collect opinions on necessary priorities to build a stronger and more sustainable future.

Environmental issues are of particular concern to young people around the world, including Vietnamese young people who realise that to enable a better Việt Nam for future generations it is crucial they take action.

Nguyễn Quỳnh Duyên, a youth who attended the event, said the youth delegates in Việt Nam already face the effects of climate change and are prepared to give all they have as long as there is the possibility of saving the planet.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese youths called for everyone to participate in keeping the environment clean and safe from pollution and to practice sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyles.

In 1999, the UN General Assembly declared August 12 International Youth Day, creating an opportunity to celebrate young peoples’ views and initiatives and to call on governments to address youth-related issues worldwide.

Việt Nam is one of the six countries most heavily impacted by extreme weather phenomena in the past decade, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2020 report announced at the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Spain last December.

Over the last two decades, Việt Nam reported 226 extreme weather events, killing on average 285.8 people per year and causing annual economic losses of US$2 billion per year, the report said. — VNS