Project Description
Vietnam’s Northern Mountains are increasingly affected by climate-related hazards such as flash floods, landslides, and drought, with ethnic minority communities and rural infrastructure particularly at risk. These threats are expected to intensify with climate change. In response, the provincial governments of Son La and Yen Bai, with support from the Asian Development Bank’s Climate Change Fund (CCF), initiated a project to integrate nature-based solutions (NbS) into rural infrastructure systems. The project aimed to explore how green and hybrid infrastructure could enhance climate resilience, reduce environmental risk, and deliver social co-benefits in mountainous regions.
Objectives, Activities, and Results
ICEM led the technical design of a project concept paper to inform future ADB investments. Activities included downscaled climate modelling and vulnerability assessments for 18 rural infrastructure sites, incorporating socio-economic data from ethnic minority communities. Sites were ranked by climate exposure and infrastructure sensitivity, with hotspot areas prioritized for NbS interventions. ICEM identified suitable green and hybrid adaptation measures, such as bioengineering techniques, and conducted a cost-benefit analysis for one pilot site. Outputs supported spatial prioritization, investment planning, and economic justification, laying the groundwork for climate-resilient infrastructure development in the Northern Mountains of Vietnam.
