Evaluating capacity for climate change adaptation in the health and water sectors in Vietnam: constraints and opportunities
Date
2016
Authors
Nguyen, Quynh Anh
Miller, Fiona
Bowen, Kathryn
Tan Sinh, Bach
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Abstract
The capacity to anticipate and respond to climate change can critically shape vulnerability, influencing whether a country experiences harm from exposure to stresses or is able to cope, adapt and realize sustainable outcomes. This paper presents the results of a study that evaluates capacity in relation to the health and water sectors in Vietnam. The study presents informants’ views on the adequacy of financial resources, understanding of vulnerability and adaptation, training needs, information requirements and levels of cooperation as well as their priorities to address adaptation. The perceptions of respondents on challenges and obstacles faced in developing adaptation strategies are also examined. Training on vulnerability and increasing funds for adaptation were reported as the top priorities, indicating that the inadequacy of human and financial resources is the most significant challenge to effective adaptation in the study context. Difficult and
weak cooperation was also widely considered to be a barrier. The paper concludes that there are significant interconnected constraints on adaptive capacity in Vietnam that are further exacerbated by governance issues, such as inadequate cooperation and transparency in sharing information and data. This paper identifies priorities for action to address the
challenge of climate change adaptation.
Description
Keywords
climate change, adaptation, capacity, vulnerability, governance, health sector, water sector, Vietnam
Citation
Collections
Source
Climate and Development
Type
Journal article