This paper analyzes the effectiveness of existing financial incentives for mangrove conservation in Vietnam. Current conservation programs and projects have created financial incentives for mangrove protection, but the effectiveness of these incentives in addressing mangrove loss in northern Vietnam has been mixed. While financial incentives have contributed to a larger area of planted mangroves, their effectiveness is hampered by contradictory national policies, which encourage mangrove conservation on the one hand, and aquaculture expansion in mangrove areas on the other, thus making it difficult to address mangrove deforestation and degradation effectively. Mangrove conservation in Vietnam is challenged further by inequitable distribution of power and benefits, difficulties accessing information, weak law enforcement, lack of compliance, low payments for protecting mangroves, lack of full recognition of local rights, discontinued funding after policies and projects end, and lack of participation by local people in policy and project design and implementation. Conservation policies and projects should aim to protect existing mangrove forests, restore degraded mangroves and plant new ones to enhance mangrove area, quality and biodiversity. Sustainable mangrove conservation not only requires effective and sustainable financial incentives, but other enabling conditions such as addressing the conflict between mangrove conservation and aquaculture expansion, and grounding mangrove conservation projects by building on local knowledge and leadership. As these drivers are often motivated by national development goals and other sectoral development needs with ministries competing for budgets and influence, holistic land-use planning needs to be coupled with effective coordination and clarification of responsibilities between government agencies, and coordinated and consistent policies concerning these natural resources. Addressing these underlying governance issues is far more important for mangrove conservation and restoration than merely offering financial incentives as various national and international projects have attempted.

No abstract

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support received from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and International Climate Initiative. important in the future implementation of REDD+. This second edition of the REDD+ Country Profile aims to capture the changes since 2012 and discusses the outcomes of REDD+ in terms of their effectiveness, efficiency and equitability. This edition follows the guidelines set out in CIFOR's GCS developed by Brockhaus et al. (2012). As this is the second edition, the authors will not repeat the findings published in first edition, but only highlight changes since our first report in 2012 and explain these changes and their implications for REDD+ outcomes.In-depth interviews: Fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives of government agencies, donors, international and national NGOs, research institutes and CSOs in July and August 2017. The aim was to explore stakeholders' perceptions and experiences in relation to REDD+ progress, opportunities and constraints influencing REDD+ operation in Vietnam since 2012.A consultation workshop: Twenty-four leading organizations working on REDD+ in Vietnam participated in a workshop in Hanoi.The aim of the workshop was to obtain feedback from stakeholders on the findings of this study. Methods

Acronyms and abbreviations viAcknowledgments viii Executive summary ix 1 Introduction 2 Study sites and methods 2.1 Study location 2.2 Methods3 National and provincial mangrove distribution and policies 3.1 National mangrove area and distribution 3.2 Provincial mangrove distribution 3.3 Key policies and institutional setting for mangrove governance 3.4 Major international initiatives aimed at mangrove restoration 3.5 Mangrove forest governance across the studied sites 3.6 Economic evaluation of mangrove environmental services in Vietnam 4 The role of mangroves and drivers of mangrove deforestation and degradation 4.1 Local perceptions of the importance and benefits of mangroves 4.2 Changes in mangrove area over time and drivers of mangrove deforestation and degradation 4.3 Local livelihoods 4.4 Mangrove governance across levels 4.5 Incentives and disincentives for mangrove protection and development 4.6 Local participation in mangrove-related projects 4.7 Willingness to pay and to participate in forest protection 5 Discussion Conclusions References List of figures, tables and boxes v 16 Pros and cons of conversion of mangroves to aquaculture and vice versa 17 Local income sources 18 Number of people engaged in different livelihood activities at the studied sites 19 Local use of mangroves 20 Rights and responsibilities on mangrove management 21 Local management of mangroves (percentage) 22 Local perceptions of bodies responsible for mangrove management 23 Past and current mangrove protection initiatives in the studied sites 24 Incentives and disincentives for mangrove protection in studied sites identified by key informants and villagers interviewed 25 Local perceptions on the consequences of non-compliance Box

No abstract