Impacts and Responses of Climate Change to the Coastal Areas of the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam

The Vietnamese Mekong River Delta (VMD), formed by the silt and other sediments deposits from the upstream Mekong River flow via its tributaries, is a very low-lying flat area combined with a high density network of rivers and canals. The Delta has more than 700 km shoreline, with special ecological and hydro-dynamic characteristics, which are very important to the local livelihoods sources. The coast’s morphological features are strongly influenced by changes within the river and the sea, with erosion and alluvial deposition due to the natural interaction of current flows. In last three decades, the VMD coastal areas are facing serious environmental challenges and climate change, particularly the increasing of saline intrusion, the discharging of polluted wastewater, the shrinking of mangrove forests and the degrading of natural resources due to anthropogenic impacts through agro-aquaculture productive activities. Presently, the coastal banks erosion and other abnormal weather phenomena seem more serious in their processes that threat the existing of many local ecosystems and residential lands. Concerning with the long-term sustainable development of the VMD’s coastal areas, the relation among water—land—natural habitats—climate resilience should be of major interests for finding adaptive solutions in regional and local scales. It is estimated that by 2050, as many as one million people will be at risk of being displaced. It is therefore the overall purpose of this assessment and report is to strengthen the resilience of VMD’s coastal provinces to the impacts of climate change through ecosystem-based adaptation. In this approach, concept “Ecosystem-based Adaptation” (EbA) is understood as flexible using and managing overall natural ecosystem services in order to support local communities’ activities in increasing resilience and reducing the vulnerability of people and the environment to climate change. The combination between both maintaining ecosystem function and considering livelihoods in the context of natural and environmental change processes should be widely accepted. In facts, there are some pros and cons in EbA measures application. Currently, there are many existing creative climate change adaptations, both “hard” and “soft” measures, developed by local residents. Scientists and INGOs staff have supported them to optimize their cultivation systems and provided more scientific processes and technological transfers. Central and provincial governments have tried to improve the policies and to integrate climate change adaptation solutions into provincial socio-economic development plans. However, the EbA application seems going rather slower than expected. Multiple mechanism and approaches should be integrated when developing adaptation strategies and actions. This should include: natural system adaptation; land-use planning; community and social adaptation; economic instruments; policies and plans; institutional mechanisms; and engineering solutions. There is a critical need for immediate implementation of no-regret and climate deficit reducing adaptation measures for coastal areas. This should aim to help people improve their key livelihoods in harmony with maintaining and restoring the key supporting ecosystems. It is now widely recognized that adaptation should: