Rapid Assessment of the Extent and Impact of Sea Level Rise in Vietnam

Home > Portfolio > Rapid Assessment of the Extent and Impact of Sea Level Rise in Vietnam

Project Description

ICEM conducted a rapid impact and vulnerability assessment to support Vietnam’s climate change adaptation planning, specifically targeting the impacts of sea level rise (SLR). The assessment aimed to bridge the gap between coarse global SLR models and limited national-level analyses by delivering a more accurate, geospatial understanding of the potential effects of SLR on Vietnam’s socio-economic systems and natural environment. The project focused on modelling inundation zones using digital surface data and overlaying them with national GIS datasets to identify vulnerable populations and systems.

Objectives, Activities and Results

The main objective was to provide evidence-based, location-specific insights to inform the Government of Vietnam’s National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change (NTP). Activities included digital modelling of SLR scenarios, spatial vulnerability analysis, and a review of national adaptation priorities. The results highlighted critical regions and sectors at risk, offering a foundation for future, more detailed assessments. It also identified key data and methodological gaps, proposing recommendations for improving the accuracy and usefulness of national SLR impact studies. Ultimately, the assessment helped guide the development of sectoral and regional climate adaptation strategies and supported the mainstreaming of climate change considerations into broader development planning.

client:

Government of Vietnam

LOCATION:

Vietnam

TIME:

January 2008

Maps

This ICEM study is an initial contribution to priority setting for climate change adaptation under the Vietnam Government’s National Target Plan to Respond to Climate Change. This assessment supports priority setting by identifying on a national scale the geographic areas, communities and sectors most at risk from sea level rise. The study overlays projections for inundation based on a one metre sea level rise with the existing situation in sector development, populations and natural systems. Maps showing the impacts of a 1m sea level rise have been produced at a national scale for all of Vietnam, and at a local scale focusing on the Red River and Mekong Deltas. These maps cover:

Height above sea level – national and local
Number of people displaced – national and local
Protected areas – national, local and local showing altitude
Key biodiversity area – national, local and local showing altitude
Economic regions – national and local
Industrial estates – national local showing economic regions and local showing altitude