Conducted under the support by the European Union (EU) and France through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to Vietnam in implementing its commitments at COP, the studies examine the causes of coastal erosion heavily damaging the region and inhabitants livelyhood, aiming to understand the mechanism responsible for the erosion process in these two zones establishing a solid scientific basis for integrated managements of the Vietnamese coastal zones; and Propose soft and hard measures for sustainably protecting these coastal zones from erosion.
For this, two large-scale campaigns of in-situ measurements (hydrodynamics of waves, tidal and sedimentary currents) have been carried out for the first time in Vietnam, and experimental (laboratory and in situ) and numerical methods have been implemented.
The soft and hard measures for protecting the Hoi An beach and Lower Mekong Delta coastal region resulting from 9 months research will be presented and discussed during the seminar.
Ambassador Bruno Angelet (first from left) at the event (Photo: Ngoc Bich/EC)
Attending the seminar were researchers from national scienctific institutions, scholars in the area of coastal engineering, governmental and local administrations as well as the representatives from international orgnisations and developments partners.
Ambassador - Head of EU Delegation to Vietnam, Mr Bruno Angelet, said: "The study is a response to EU commitments made in Paris during the COP21 to support Vietnam in adaptation to climate change. While erosion is mainly a man-made disaster, its impacts will be multiplied with the sea level rise. Based on the study results, an investment program will be designed including hard and soft adaptation measures that could include dyke building, mangrove rehabilitation and capacity building for enhanced sustainable development and environmental management".
The investment that will be designed based on the study recommendation, will be funded by a loan amounting up to EUR87 million from AFD, and possibly mixed with another grant from the EU.
Implemented by the Southern Institute for Water Resources Research in cooperation and the Central Region College of Technology, Economics and Water Resources, in cooperation with the AFD, the studies showed that Vietnam is one of the countries severely affected by climate change and its related disasters. The Mekong Delta is one of the deltas in the world most susceptible and vulnerable to sea level rise.
Consistent to its international commitments regarding Climate Change and Sustainable Development Goals, the EU is actively helping the nation on mitigation through energy sector reform, and adaptation through funding studies on climate change impact and appropriate adaptation measures./.