Vietnam Needs NGOs and Youth to Meet Climate Change Challenges

With sea levels rising, Nguyen Van Bien, a 58-year old rice farmer, in the Mekong Delta, recognizes that climate change adaptation requires all hands on the frontlines of rice paddies, especially non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and youth. This approach is both complex and essential for achieving Vietnam’s ambitious goals for sustainable and resilient development and conservation.

In Vietnam, decision-making on environmental issues is the exclusive domain of the Communist Party. No one disputes that the nation’s relentless pursuit of economic growth has lifted millions of lives out of poverty over the past decades, but it has also resulted in significant environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity. Now with the dire impacts of climate change, the region’s global economic engine stands at a critical crossroads, balancing economic expansion with sustainability.

This may partly explain why the party-state has at times recognized the participation of NGOs in shaping policies, programs, and plans. For example, the 2008 National Target Program on Response to Climate Change highlights the role of NGOs in critiquing policies, raising awareness, and supporting the implementation of disaster-mitigation measures.

Read the full article on Geopolitical Monitor.