Policy implications to encourage the adoption of Nature-based Solutions in Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD).

Abstract

Deltas are often densely populated and support much of the world’s fishes, forest products and agriculture. Protecting livelihoods and ecosystem services in deltas is therefore of global importance. The environmental degradation and the climate change are one of the multiple pressures experienced by deltas affecting the ecosystem services that pose risk in the livelihoods of the locals as well as the global population living in these areas. There is a need for new strategies for sustainable development to help deltas mitigate the effects of climate change as well as adapt to the changing conditions in a context of increasing uncertainty of hazards. Coastal areas of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) are highly vulnerable due to land use changes and extreme climate hazards. This study will explore the specific aspects of deltas from a complexity-based approach, and analyse Nature-based Solutions as alternatives towards sustainable development in these areas. This examines Nature-based solutions (NbS) as a complementary or alternative approach to managing hazards in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. We investigated the potential NbS as a complementary and sustainable method for mitigating the impacts of coastal disaster risks, mainly cyclones and floods. Finally, we address this gap by conducting a systematic literature review to assess the existence of policy instruments such as the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (2009), Flood and Storm Prevention and Control (2000), Law on Dykes (2006), that adopt NbS and to evaluate the existence of specific examples of NbS.