Towards water security in Southeast Asia: the case of the Vietnamese Mekong delta

Abstract

There has been a surge of academic interest in coupled climate change and hydropower challenges in the developing world. This chapter demonstrates how emergent water challenges are linked to transboundary impacts of climate change (e.g., droughts) and structural development (e.g., hydropower) in the Mekong region, and their implications for water security in the Vietnamese Mekong delta. It presents how the water challenges are characterized by the recurring phenomena of ‘precarious water’, evidenced by extreme events of water scarcity in the floodplains and saltwater intrusion in the coastal zones of the delta over the past few years. At the local level, the chapter illustrates the contested interface between government-led water management policies and farmer-led adaptation practices. Moving towards water security in the delta in responding to the increasingly complex context of the Mekong’s climate and development, the chapter highlights the needs to refine inclusive water management policies by providing equal recognition of both freshwater (floodplains) and saltwater (coastal zones) in support of rural livelihoods. At the delta scale, it is essential to incorporate ongoing transboundary water impacts into the floodplains’ development and adaptation agendas, while seeking innovative solutions for retaining freshwater and curbing the progression of saltwater intrusion in the coastal zones.