A framework for reviewing laws and policies for climate resilience: the case of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Progress toward resilient and sustainable water management in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

“…Most recently, the Mekong Delta Integrated Regional Masterplan, approved in 2022, provides a cross-sectoral and multiprovincial masterplan for the delta's 13 provinces, covering infrastructural, water management, and economic development issues. It builds on Resolution 120 and Decision 593, as well as the 2017 Planning law, which stipulates new guidelines for cross-sectoral planning at regional as well as provincial scales (Du et al, 2023;Nguyen, 2019;Nguyen et al, 2020). Led by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), it is focused primarily on targeting investment projects, and is already laying the groundwork for financing conversations with development partners.…”

“…However, despite growing awareness of the inherent vulnerabilities and increasing risk trends to society and ecosystems, local policy makers and planners have struggled to develop adaptation responses (both on centralized and provincial levels) which enable fundamental risk mitigation, whilst still allowing adaptive development (Downes & Storch, 2014; Du et al, 2023; Garschagen et al, 2011; Nguyen et al, 2019; Pelling et al, 2015; Van Ruijven et al, 2014). While various adaptation measures are currently debated by the authorities, decision‐making is often hampered by perceived scientific knowledge gaps and a lack of sharable analysis‐ready data and practical tools to support science‐informed policy development (Mondal et al, 2022).…”

“…Similarly, addressing the root causes of forecasted climate change impacts to the VMD require continued and strengthened bilateral and international efforts to prioritize and finance renewable and clean energy resources as well as adaptation. In addition, the implementation of national regulations, policy needs to address a multi governance level (Du et al, 2023; Minkman et al, 2022; Nguyen et al, 2020). Yet within the delta, flooding, salinity intrusion, sediment starvation, riverbank and coastal erosion and increased freshwater demands continue to be seen as discrete engineering challenges, which require local solutions and initiatives, rather than viewed as symptoms of the underlying drivers that bridge multiple scales, from the local to the delta and river basin scales.…”

“…Past attempts at shared databases show that this requires not only academic and non‐governmental partnerships, but also government policies promoting data sharing (Kuenzer et al, 2016; Renaud & Kuenzer, 2012). Current data governance structures and sharing arrangements (or lack thereof) hinder the use of scientific results, the reuse of data for planning, indicator development, and monitoring (Bauer, 2011; Du et al, 2023; Helbron et al, 2011; Thu & Wehn, 2016). Data sharing can allow scholars, policymakers, and other stakeholders to extend scientific findings, expand the impact of science, and encourage new science (Du et al, 2023; Ha et al, 2018; Van Tra et al, 2022).…”

Social Sustainability Dimension of Vietnam’s Green Transformation Policies

“…While there exists a growing body of literature on the social dimension of climate change, environmental, and green growth policies in Vietnam, these studies limit their thematic focus to a single principle of the social pillar -such as energy justice, popular participation, or indigenous knowledge. They also restrict their case study to a certain aspect of the green transformation process -most commonly climate change adaptation and energy transition (Siciliano et al, 2021;Dao, 2022;Du, 2022;McElwee, 2022). No study has attempted a holistic analysis of the general principles of the social sustainability dimension of the most important green transformation policies.…”