US President's Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry works with Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee Le Duc Tho. Photo: VNA

During a working visit to the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre on Saturday, Mr. Kerry said Vietnam, including Ben Tre province, has the advantage to develop wind and solar energy, adding that this will be an advantage for both countries to work together in the future.

At the meeting, Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee Le Duc Tho said that the province is being heavily affected by climate change and sea level rise and that saline intrusion, which tends to increase, is wreaking havoc on local residents’ lives and production.

He expressed his hope that the US will actively cooperate with and support Ben Tre to prevent and combat the effects of climate change on river and coastal dikes, invest in irrigation systems and freshwater reservoirs. Ben Tre province has more than 65km of coastline, which is a great potential for investment in renewable energy such as wind power, solar power, and green hydrogen production plant, Mr. Tho said and called for the US cooperation to maximize the potential and advantages of Ben Tre and train high-quality human resources in the field of climate change and renewable energy.