Workshop “Evaluation of climate change influence to poor people in North Region of Vietnam and solutions for minimization”

The workshop is one activity in the national project on “Evaluation of climate change influence to poor people in North Region of Vietnam and solutions for minimization” code BDKH-21 belonged to the national program on dealing with climate change KHCN-BĐKH/11/15 of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment which is managed by Dr. Luong Thi Thu Hang, Deputy Editor of Regional Sustainable Development Journal – Institute of Regional Sustainable Development. 

In the introduction of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan, Vice President of VASS and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Quang Tuan, Director of Institute of Regional Sustainable Development emphasized the importance and highly appreciated outcomes provided by the group of researchers, this project is belonged to the national program on dealing with climate change and received interest from the Party and Country. Climate change affects every country all over the world, particularly Vietnam is in top 5 countries where has to suffer most, it affects every dimension of social life, especially group of poor people. The conference focused on three main contents: (1) To evaluate the effect of climate change to poor people in North Region and corresponding models of living plan; (2) To suggest tools and method for climate change evaluation; (3) Challenges in building action plan for dealing with climate change generally and for poor people specifically.

Dr. Luong Thi Thu Hang (project manager) represented group of researchers to present general objectives and contents of project are direct and indirect evaluation of climate change influences to poor people in North Region of Vietnam based on the sampling research methodology in 8 provinces with 4,000 questionnaires and 1,020 samples of focus group and individual interview. By doing cross – approaching method (industries, regions, communities and social groups), the project has assessed typical examples of practical climate change influences and suffers to poor people in North Region of Vietnam. Based on these findings, the solutions for minimizing negative impacts of climate change are suggested including: institution, policies, resources and technologies, ect and contributing to sustainable reduction of poor people in North Region.    

Ms. Vo Trong Hoang from Institute of Geography (a unit member of VASS) presented report on “Introduction of a mapping system for group of poor people in North Region who suffer impacts of climate change”. This report mainly focused on providing maps, geographical atlas index on: risk, vulnerability, and multi – dimensional poverty in North Region provinces such as Thai Binh, Hai Duong, Phu Tho, Son La, Hai Phong, and Lao Cai.  

PhD. Chu Minh Hoi from Vietnam Institute of Economics (a unit member of VASS) in his report on “Evaluation of climate change influences to living plans of poor people in North Region”: The outcomes from researching database in 8 provinces” by descriptive statistical method,  showed the general picture of climate change influencing the living plan of poor people in North Region and general assessment on the level of climate change impacts on agricultural land, housing distribution based on living plan and four small areas (coastal - islands,  Red River Delta, Northeast  and  Northwest Regions).

Other reports are “Model of living plan on dealing with climate change of poor people in North Region of Vietnam” by Dr. Bui The Anh from Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and “Model of living plan on dealing with climate change for people in coastal area in Hai Phong” by Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh from the Party Central Committee Office relied on researches’ outcomes of special characteristics of hydro – meteorology and the measurement of regional vulnerability index to recommend a model of living plan: to do aquaculture in Northern coastal; to combine florist with traditional polyculture in Northern central highlands (Phu Tho); to suggest approaching and handling solutions for climate change (the rise of sea level) in order to help communities adapt with climate change.     

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mai Trong Thong from Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in his report on “Introduction of guiding documents for Climate change influences evaluation” provided theoretical evidences, basic concepts, methodology and approach to assess the influence of climate change to affected communities and the method of collecting quantitative and qualitative information. The integration of climate change into developing plan program in other fields such as water resources, health - public health, prevention of disaster, hurricane, and flood… has contributed to enhance socio – economic efficiency and to reduce risk caused by climate change. 

In the closing speech, Dr. Le Anh Vu, Deputy Director of Institute of Regional Sustainable Development highly appreciated the effort of researchers throughout the outcomes of field research and step – by – step forming approaching method. Opinions, critical comments and discussions of experts, scientists are valuable information for researchers to accomplish their study.  

The workshop received many lively discussions of scholars and managers from different approaching dimensions and helped the researchers to refer and complete outcomes of the project. Based on that, to suggest policies for enhancing adapting ability, skills to avoid risks, disasters and improving awareness of communities on climate change as well as significantly contributing to the national program on climate change in upcoming period.  

Thu Ha – Thu Trang