Client: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Commonwealth of Australia/ Monash University   |   Partners:  Water Sensitive Cities Australia (WSCA) |   Duration:  October 2022 – February 2025 |   Location: Southeast Asia

Cities rapidly expand in the Mekong region, with an annual average growth rate of 3 to 5%. By 2030, more than 40% of the region’s population is expected to live in urban areas. These larger metropolitan areas are driving economic growth. But how those new cities manage their development and the increasing pressure of rising climate issues will determine the future health, wealth and well-being of communities and environments in the region.

The Resilient Urban Centres and Surrounds (RUCAS) program addresses the traditional reliance on large-scale ‘grey’ infrastructure solutions and their shortcomings in delivering the social, environmental and economic outcomes Mekong region communities need.

Financed by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the program will explore Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and water management as a catalyst to promote urban climate resilience across Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Rich in its previous experiences and work on NbS within the Mekong region, ICEM and partners will aim to respond to the interest of authorities to scale up the work done in Thailand and Viet Nam and implement good practices in Cambodia and Lao PDR.

The program will support each partner country through four stages:

• Engage local partners on the priorities for action and align the opportunities created by hybrid NbS investments;
• Demonstrate local application and the economic case for action;
• Support scaling and broader impact;
• Leave a lasting legacy of local partnerships and capacity.