The World Bank (WB) recently released a report in which it called on the Vietnamese Government to take urgent action to ensure future growth in the face of natural disaster risks.

The recent flooding in Quang Dien district, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue

The report, “Resilient Shores: Vietnam’s Coastal Development between Opportunity and Disaster Risk”, says the Government has made impressive progress in managing disaster risks in recent decades, investing in structural and non-structural risk reduction measures, and adopting extensive legal, regulatory and policy frameworks to guide coastal development in safe and sustainable ways. However, these measures fall short of the country’s needs.

It notes that as disasters like floods have become more frequent while coastal populations and economic activities are growing, natural shocks already have a serious impact on Vietnam’s coastal development and these risks will increase.

Therefore, taking action is urgent to protect the obtained development achievements and ensure future development in the face of natural shocks, the report recommends.

It estimates that 12 million people in coastal provinces are exposed to the threat of intense flooding and over 35 percent of settlements are located on eroding coastlines, attributing the increase of disaster risks to rapid urbanisation, economic growth, and climate change.

The report presents a concrete action plan in five strategic areas that needs to be rolled out immediately and decisively, namely strengthening data and decision-making tools, factoring risks in zoning and spatial planning, strengthening the resilience of infrastructure systems and public services, taking advantage of nature-based solutions, and improving disaster preparedness and response capacity.