Project Description
Vietnam’s aggressive hydropower expansion is reshaping the nation’s river systems, with nearly all major rivers either already dammed or planned for development. While strategic assessments have acknowledged potential economic and even some environmental benefits, the pace of development far outpaces existing institutional capacity to assess and manage the social, ecological, and long-term economic impacts. The cumulative effects of multiple dams within river basins pose serious risks to ecosystem integrity and biodiversity. This has raised concerns both within Vietnam and among Mekong Basin stakeholders about the sustainability of such large-scale hydropower development.
Objectives, Activities and Results
In response to these challenges, ICEM, supported by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), developed a suite of knowledge products to build capacity and improve understanding of the links between hydropower development and biodiversity in Vietnam. The materials aim to support improved planning and decision-making by addressing two critical gaps: the impacts of hydropower on biodiversity, and the integration of biodiversity considerations into hydropower planning. The outputs included tools, guidance documents, and case studies to enhance awareness, inform national discourse, and promote more sustainable hydropower development practices that safeguard ecological systems and local livelihoods.
Links
Volume 1: A Review of the Effects of Hydropower Development on Biodiversity Resources in Vietnam
Volume 2: Hydropower and Biodiversity – The use of SEA as an Assessment Tool
