On December 17, the People's Committee of Ca Mau province announced that the provincial leaders had held a meeting to review and collect opinions on options to implement the Project "Restoration of the East Coast of Ca Mau to serve the prevention of natural disasters and climate change, socio-economic development, and ensuring national defense and security".
According to the draft, the project will be implemented in 2 phases. In phase 1, the goal is to proactively prevent natural disasters in response to climate change, limit the impact of rising water, and reduce coastal erosion. At the same time, prevent erosion - protect the banks - restore mangrove forests - restore lost coastal space. Creating an area "formed behind the embankment" is the result of a technical solution to silt and sand.
Phase 2 will develop the socio-economy on recovered land. The land area formed behind the embankment serves the development of infrastructure (shore economy, marine ecotourism, formation of coastal urban areas, exploitation of renewable energy potential, logistics development, etc.), ecosystem conservation, tourism landscape creation, contributing to promoting socio-economic development. At the same time, arrange security and defense works in strategic locations, ensuring control of the extreme southern sea of the Fatherland.
Also according to the draft, the items for restoring the coastline will include: embankment to prevent landslides, restoration of coastline, investment in logistics areas to serve Hon Khoai General Port; breakwater, combined with a overpass, about 1 km from the shore, to restore the coastline of about 1,000 hectares, from Khai Long to Dat Mui (about 10 km); breakwater, combined with a overpass, about 1 km from the shore, to restore a 1,500-hectare coast, from Rach Goc to the logistics area (about 15 km); breakwater, combined with a overpass, about 2 km from the shore, to restore the coastline of about 400 hectares, Nha Mat coast (about 2 km long).
There are 3 options for capital mobilization (state budget capital, land use rights bidding, and combined PPP model).
Ca Mau province assessed that this is an extremely necessary project, in the context that the East coast of Ca Mau is the area most clearly affected by climate change, high tides, storms and serious landslides.
Vice Chairman of Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee Le Van Su said that historical data and satellite images show that from 1904 to 2014, the eastern coast of Ca Mau province lost about 5.8 km of coastal land, an average of 52 m/year with a large rate of change (erosion and consolidation). Therefore, Ca Mau province proposed implementing a project to restore the natural coastal space that has been eroded, serving natural disaster prevention and climate change; at the same time, promoting the effectiveness of the overpass project and Hon Khoai Port.
However, because the Coastal Encroachment Plan is currently being implemented according to Decree 42/2024/ND-CP dated April 16, 2024 of the Government on coastal encroachment activities, the People's Committee of Ca Mau province proposed to grant authority to allow the application of specific mechanisms and policies to restore the East Coast or allow the province to adjust the provincial planning, adjust the detailed planning, and implement the project "Restore the East Ca Mau coastline to serve natural disaster prevention and climate change, socio-economic development, and ensure national defense".
The project is being consulted by specialized departments, branches and sectors to contribute and complete the project before submitting it to the Central Government for approval.
