FACT SHEET

Cities and climate change

OVERVIEW
Cities in Viet Nam are an engine of economic growth but also contribute significantly to climate change through increasing energy use, an increase in volume of traffic and waste disposal, and rapid conversion of agricultural land into land for urban construction and industrial zones. As many cities are located along the long coast line and in the low delta regions, climate change also presents unique challenges for Viet Nams cities and their growing population. It is therefore important that cities adopt appropriate climate change mitigation and adaptation policies, and integrate climate change responses into urban planning processes. The challenge facing Viet Nam cities Due to the mean sea level rise, all cities located along Viet Nams coast and in low delta regions face a inundation threats (both residential and production land) and saline water intrusion, resulting in additional pressures for displacement and migration, especially from rural to urban areas. Climate change affects especially the Mekong Delta with mean sea level rise, further saline water intrusion, additional droughts as well as additional flood threats, Therefore there is long term pressure on rice productivity and production, which could affect the global markets as Viet Nam is one of the main rice exporters as well as domestic markets and poor urban consumers. The threats caused by climate change will increase the challenges of housing and infrastructure (water supply, drainage, transportation), which cities are already struggling with. Cities still lack knowledge of climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation measures as well as the capacity to mainstream climate change into urban plans.

FACTS AND FIGURES

According to UN-HABITATs Global Report on Human Settlement 2011, by 2030, an estimated 59 percent of the worlds population and 55 percent of developing countries population will live in urban areas. Every year sees the addition of 67 million new urban dwellers, and 91 percent of these are added to the population of cities in developing countries1. The report forecasts that by 2050, there could be as many as 200 million climate change displaced people and by 2070, almost all cities in the top ten exposure to flooding risk category will be located in developing countries2. The 2009 census in Viet Nam recorded that the countrys urban population is approximately 26 million, accounting for 29.6 percent of the national population, while the annual growth rate of the urban population between 1999-2009 was 3.4 percent3. The Viet Nam Master Plan Orientation For Urban Development Towards 2025 estimates a significant increase in the urban population 45 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 20504.

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Global Report on Human Settlement 2011 - Press Kit Hot Cities: Battle Ground for Climate Change Global Report on Human Settlement 2011 - Press Kit Risky Cities: The Deadly Collision between Urbanization and Climate Change 3 Census 2009 Expanded sample results 4 Decision 445 by Prime Minister on Amendment of Master Plan Orientation for Viet Nam Urban system development by 2025, vision to 2050

According to MOLISA, between 2001 and 2005, Viet Nam was losing 73,300 ha of cultivated land annually due to urbanization, affecting the lives of 2.5 million farmers5. Viet Nams projections are that a one meter rise in mean sea levels by 2100 is likely, and this is used in the National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change (NTP-RCC). Without major action such as dyke reinforcements and improved drainage, this would cause an estimated threat of inundation to 17,423 km2 or 5.3% of Viet Nams total land area. Of that total, nearly 82% is in the Mekong Delta, 9% in the Red River Delta and over 4% each in the North Central Coast and South East regions. The latter includes Ho Chi Minh City6.

RECOMMENDATIONS
In preparation for a more effective urban mitigation and adaptation response, Viet Nam should pay attention to policy development both at the national and city level. It is important to ensure that city development strategies are prepared using a multi-stakeholder approach, including integration of a climate change vulnerability assessment, with an emphasis on vulnerable groups. National level The Vietnamese government developed the NTP-RCC as a basis for action planning on climate change. The Ministry of Construction has the responsibility of integrating climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation into urban planning. Some issues should be taken into account immediately to ensure effective implementation: Clear guidelines for vulnerability assessments and climate change mainstreaming into urban plans should be developed. Urban spatial planning should be carefully considered by all stakeholders as climate change impacts are long-lasting and nationwide. There is a need to adjust zoning and building codes and standards to ensure that infrastructure is climate proof. Cooperation needs to be strengthened among ministries, sectors and localities. Capacity building for city governments is needed in order to prepare and implement climate change action plans.

Local level Urban authorities should ensure they: Develop a vision where they want their future development to go and find ways to relate climate change responses to urban development aspirations. Expand the scope of community participation and action by representatives of the private sector, neighbourhoods and grassroots groups, as well as opinion leaders of all kinds. Conduct vulnerability assessments using an inclusive, participatory process to identify risks to urban development plans and their effects on different demographic sectors, and decide on objectives and ways to reduce those risks.

Knowledge and awareness Additional data are needed, which must be analyzed and synthesized and widely shared in order to provide a comprehensive understanding on climate change impacts on Vietnamese cities and opportunities for greenhouse gas emissions mitigation. Different channels of communication should be used to raise the awareness of city dwellers, urban authorities and policy makers.

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MOLISA website Job creation for agricultural workers in urbanization and industrial zone development, 31 March 2008 IMHEN (2010) Sea level rise scenarios and possible disaster risk reduction in Viet Nam, Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment, Page 24-25. The mean sea level rise and inundation threat data in that report are an update of data in MONRE (2009) Climate change, sea level rise scenarios for Viet Nam, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Hanoi, Viet Nam

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