Climate Change and Vietnam

As one of the most vulnerable countries globally to the consequences of climate change, Vietnam is highly likely to experience a variety of negative impacts over the next century. These include increasing (and increasingly variable) temperatures and rainfall, along with sea level rise and associated increased salinity of coastal water networks. The social and economic consequences will be unevenly distributed across the population, and in some cases may be exacerbated by well-intentioned modernization efforts. The cross-cutting nature of these phenomenon will require a heterogeneous network of support to address. The author reviews the multiple actors both within and outside Vietnam that have begun to provide this support, including various agencies of the U.S. government. Noting in particular the regional nature of both the challenge and potential solutions, and the multiple sectors of expertise and budget programming involved, the author suggests that additional assistance to Vietnam within a climate change framework provides an ideal venue for pursuing a regional, interagency approach to promoting U.S. interests in South East Asia.