Vietnam faces high climate risk, rapid GHG emissions growth, and needs stronger adaptation measures. Key strategies include focusing on vulnerable areas, phasing out coal, deploying green technologies, and enhancing international cooperation.
Vietnam is making strides in its climate resilience journey, but significant challenges remain. The country is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its geographical features, such as its long coastline and numerous river basins, which expose it to typhoons, sea-level rise, and floods. Rapid economic growth has also led to a marked increase in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.
Vietnam’s Climate Vulnerability
Vietnam is among the world’s most hazard-prone nations due to climate change. The country experiences one of the highest natural disaster risks, ranking fourth in the ASEAN+3 region and significantly above the global average. Vietnam’s susceptibility is worsened by its geographical structure—long, densely populated coastlines and multiple transboundary river basins, which are exposed to typhoons, sea-level rise, and floods, making it highly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions fueled by climate change.
To strengthen its climate resilience, Vietnam has implemented various adaptation measures, including early warning systems, and infrastructure projects like dikes and sea walls. However, more focus is needed on the most vulnerable areas, particularly low-lying coastal regions and flood-prone river basins.
Increasing Greenhouse Emissions
In tandem with rapid economic growth, Vietnam has observed a marked rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption. Over the last two decades, GHG emissions and electricity use have surged threefold and are expected to continue escalating with ongoing industrialization and urbanization. Addressing this challenge, Vietnam must intensify its climate adaptation efforts—employing strategies like early warning systems and constructing resilient infrastructure such as dikes and sea walls to protect vulnerable regions, especially low-lying coastal areas and flood-prone river basins.
Policy and Technological Innovations
Vietnam’s policy landscape is evolving to include vital steps like the Power Development Plan 8 (PDP8) approved in May 2023, aiming to phase out coal power by the 2040s. To minimize transition risks toward a low-carbon economy, early and sustained deployment of green technologies and climate mitigation measures are crucial. Additionally, carbon pricing mechanisms and stricter emission standards are imperative. Strategies such as implementing a carbon trading market and fostering the green economy through multinational cooperation and technologies like carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) are pivotal. Government initiatives and private sector mobilization will determine the nation’s ability to advance green infrastructure and secure the necessary investments.
Source: Vietnam’s Climate Resilience Journey Still Has Ways to Go
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