According to the climate change response plan from now to 2015 issued by HCMC's People Committee on May 15, the city’s climate change response activities have mainly focused on improving the adaptability of the local people, agencies and organizations to climate variability.

HCMC's Department of Science and Technology will coordinate with various sectors to carry out research on climate change to provide scientific and practical foundations and support solutions to the city’s climate change response action plans. It will coordinate with the Architecture Planning Department to build and implement climate change response programs as parts of the city’s urban and architecture planning and management. It will also supplement key planning (traffic, water drainage and lake water regulating) to mitigate the impact of climate change on the city, improve management capability and raise community awareness on the issue.

HCMC's Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Steering Center for Urban Flood Control have the main responsibilities in the management and efficient use of water resources, will be responsible for implementing irrigation planning for agricultural production, and improving capability against floods, rising sea levels, droughts and limiting saltwater intrusion.

Apart from climate change response plans, HCMC has also outlined plans to restrict and mitigate the global warming which causes climate change. HCMC's Department of Industry and Trade was tasked to raise energy efficiency, develop and popularize technologies that promote energy efficiency, and carry out research and development. Other prioritized tasks include the adoption of suitable policies for the application of clean and environmentally-friendly technologies, and encouraging the use of recycled, biological and low-carbon energy.

The local Department of Natural Resources and Environment is in charge of controlling urban, industry, toxic and medical wastes, striving to minimize, treat, reuse and recycle waste . It will also use modern technologies to recover and make full use of greenhouse emission gas from landfill sites. The climate change offices need to efficiently use international funding sources, coordinate with relevant agencies to raise awareness and capability to cope with climate change for the community and train high quality human resources in response to climate change, especially those who are management officials in urban areas and cities. HCMC is currently undertaking 36 projects and programs, scheduled to be implemented until 2015 with a total funding of more than VND70.540 trillion.

HCMC's steering committee in response to climate change recently launched the 18-month one million euro HCMC moving towards the sea with climate change adaptation program. According to a plan, over the next two years, HCMC and the Dutch city of Rotterdam will map out a moving towards the sea strategy based on HCMC’s current urban planning./.