Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a scheme for climate-resilient development of urban areas for the 2021-2030 period. 

A view of Nha Trang beach in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa

The scheme targets to promote proactive adaptation to climate change and reasonable use of resources in upgrading and developing urban areas, and reduce air, water and land pollution.

The scheme lays focus on coastal urban areas that are prone to inundation and urban areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides.

The scheme will first be implemented in Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Can Tho, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and other 14 provinces and expanded nationwide after 2030.

The Government will investigate and evaluate impacts of climate change on the existing urban area system and urban areas planned to be developed in the next decade; measure the resilience of these areas and design proper solutions.

Climate resilience will be integrated into planning and development plans of the urban areas while risk warning system will be developed.

The Government will also review and supplement legal documents related to urban classification, urban planning, management of investment in urban development amid increasing risks posed by climate change.

Viet Nam is the sixth most affected country by climate change given its extensive coastline and river deltas, and highlands that have limited water retention capacity and are susceptible to severe erosion.

Each year, increasingly intense and unpredictable weather events cause fatalities and extensive damage to infrastructure, such as schools and health centres, and impact on the livelihoods of already disadvantaged communities in urban and rural areas.

According to the Asian Development Bank, a key challenge for Viet Nam is to manage its rapid economic development in a sustainable manner and to prevent adverse impacts of environmental degradation and climate change./.