In one project, the U.N. agency will work closely with the city government to design the first waste sorting experiment in Cam Le District. This is expected to generate useful lessons in applying sorting of waste to all of Da Nang.

UNDP will also bring a team on systemic design from Canada’s Alberta CoLab to work with Da Nang's Department of Natural Resources and Environment on a systemic assessment of waste management to identify leverage points for near, medium and long-term future.

Da Nang, which is currently home to 1.2 million residents, discards 1,100 tons of domestic solid waste each day, according to the municipal Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The figure is predicted to rise to 1,800 tons in 2020-2025, over 2,400 tons in 2025-2030 and more than 3,000 tons in 2030-2040.

Preserving flows

The UNDP will also assist Da Nang in reducing pollution and preserving flows in the Vu Gia–Thu Bon River basin. This is a larger regional project that aims at integrated river basin management in ASEAN Countries by improving governance, management responsiveness and building capacities in integrated water resources management and reducing pollution in rivers.

Towards helping preserve flows, a City Lab will be built to facilitate joint learning, exploration and experimentation of innovative solutions that accelerate socio-economic development and promote achievement of sustainable development goals.

In order to help Da Nang operate the City Lab, the U.N. agency will bring Ms. Gabriella Gomez-Mont, former founder and director of the Mexico City Lab and a member of the international advisory committee to the Mayor of Seoul, to Da Nang. She will provide the city with a more comprehensive picture of City Labs around the world and what might work best for Da Nang.

Da Nang authorities had said at a conference last April that it plans to spend VND2 trillion ($86 million) on becoming a smart city by 2030.

The city inked a deal the same month with Vietnamese tech giant FPT to build websites and systems digitalize basic services like healthcare and traffic management for local residents.

In February this year, it was announced that the city would sign contracts with Singapore's Sakae Corporate Advisory and Surbana Jurong to make adjustments to its urban planning.

It said the plans would have to include solutions to tackle key problems like infrastructure overload, climate change response and environmental protection.