Only in the first 2 quarters of project implementation since March 2011, several of assessments have been conducted as baseline studies for the project interventions. Valuable scientific information about the scenarios and potential impacts of climate change at national level have been simplified, analyzed and translated into local context. Vulnerability and adaptability as well as institutional arrangements of the two sites have been assessed under the scientific guidance combined with a participatory approach.
Sustainable livelihoods assessment framework with 5 key factors (human natural, social, physical and financial capital) have been analyzed considering the impacts of climate change and projections for understanding the level of adaptive capacity and vulnerability of the livelihoods and natural resources for the adaptation of responses planning.
Through the assessments, local staff and community in Cat ba Island share a clear picture of possible impacts of climate change in their particular area. Phu Long residents of the island may need to adjust their livelihoods in order to be adaptive to the increased land erosion and sea level rise, storms and floods and the selection of crops and species for their aquaculture may also be re considered, as well as cooperation development among the farmers in aquaculture production and business. The people in the Red River Delta have agreed to adjust their clam aquaculture practices as the results of those assessments.
The community's learning centre Ecolife Cafe provides the possibility of sharing practices of Climate Change adaptation. Ecolife Cafe function as visitor information in most of the project sites and started to serve thousands of community members and visitors to the area.
During the project (2011-2013), the Scientists from the Department of System Ecology - Stockholm University (SU-DSE) and their counterpart from the Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) are collaborating in the technical capacity building (including Ecological Risk Assessment method) for the local managers and stakeholders to improve the resilience of Biosphere Reserves.
These are remarkable results of the cooperation under Sida support No 54090026
Futher details contact: Than Thi Hien, MCD R&D manager at tthien@mcdvietnam.org