In particular, the provincial Fatherland Front Committee and the Natural Resource and Environment Sector have allocated VND 490 million for ten religious organizations and the district authorities in the province to develop environmental protection models.

So far, the concerning authorities of 15 districts have implemented and signed coordination programs with local religious organizations.

For the past three years, the Tay Ninh Caodai Church in Kien Giang, with 14 parishes and 18,000 members in 11 districts, has disseminated knowledge on environmental protection and climate change response to its followers at the grassroots level. Specifically, the representative committee and 14 parish management boards of the Caodai church have organized 14 training workshops and many meetings on the environmental protection.

Thanks to this effort, there have been positive changes in habits and lifestyles beneficiary to the environment, such as the proper classification and discharge of rubbish, tree plantation in open spaces, etc. Six parish of Go Quao, An Minh, An Bien, Ngoc Hoa, Giong Gieng and Phu Quoc have developed their own models for environment protection.

The executive committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has also established a club for environmental protection operating in most of Buddhist pagodas and monasteries in the province and raising a sum of 1.2 billion VND for its activities.

The Bach Y Caodai Church in the province has also launched programs for tree planting and reduction of pollution in some of its oratories in the locality.

As planned, by 2020, 80% of followers of religions in Kien Giang will be equipped with necessary knowledge on environmental protection and climate change response and engage in practical programs, and at least one model of environmental protection and climate change response will be developed and operated in each commune in the province. 

PTT