The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) work in environment and climate change in Vietnam focuses on improving environmental security. This includes mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience to the impacts of climate change, conserving biodiversity, reducing pollution, and strengthening disaster preparedness and response. To advance these efforts, USAID partners with Vietnam to transition to clean energy, strengthen protected area management, expand sustainable forest management, counter wildlife trafficking, and engage with local communities on environmental pollution issues, such as air pollution, waste management, and water conservation.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Vietnam is one of the world’s five most vulnerable countries to climate change. And although Vietnam is a modest greenhouse gas emitter, emissions have multiplied fivefold in the last 20 years. The energy sector is responsible for more than half of the country’s emissions, followed by agriculture, industrial processes, and waste. USAID partners with Vietnam to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience by accelerating Vietnam’s transition to clean energy, protecting the natural environment, and engaging with local communities on environmental pollution, as well as strengthening disaster response, preparedness, and risk reduction.
PROJECTS
- USAID Sustainable Forest Management supports improved timber management and the restoration and conservation of natural forests, which are critical to reduce and absorb Vietnam’s carbon emissions. [2020-2025, $36,270,000]
- USAID Vietnam Low Emission Energy Program (V-LEEP II) supports Vietnam’s transition to a clean, secure, and market-based energy sector. [2020-2025, $36.250,000]
- USAID Vietnam Urban Energy Security works closely with the Government of Vietnam to catalyze clean energy solutions to urban energy challenges. [2019-2024, $13,970,000]
- USAID INVEST stimulates private investment in high-impact areas including infrastructure, energy, and health. [2019-2024, $10,130,000]
- USAID Biodiversity Conservation - With a primary objective to conserve biodiversity, this project supports Vietnam to maintain healthy forests and protect wildlife populations in its national parks and nature reserves to ensure stable supply of ecosystem services. This project contributes to climate change objectives by increasing ecosystem function and carbon potential of healthy forests, which builds resilience and mitigates emissions. [2020-2025, $38,000,000]
- USAID’s Mekong Delta Coastal Habitat Conservation strengthens marine resources management to conserve biodiversity and enhance coastal resilience. [2021-2024, $2,900,000]
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND COMBATING CONSERVATION CRIMES
Vietnam is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, comprising only 1% of the earth’s surface but serving as home to 10% of all species. At the same time, Vietnam is a significant consumer of wildlife and wildlife products, and, as a result, has one of the highest proportions of threatened species in the world. In addition to challenges relating to land-use change, poor environmental management, and weak protected area management, Vietnam is now a major hub for the wildlife trade as a supplier, consumer, and transit route for a variety of live animals, animal parts, and medicinal plants. Conservation crimes undermine the rule of law, perpetuate poverty among vulnerable populations, and endanger vital ecosystems. USAID supports Vietnam to maintain healthy forests and protect wildlife populations in its remaining strongholds of intact forest. In addition, USAID partners with Vietnam to reduce threats to coastal biodiversity and fisheries and strengthen coastal resilience in the Mekong Delta.
PROJECTS
- USAID Biodiversity Conservation supports Vietnam to maintain healthy forests and protect wildlife populations in its national parks and nature reserves in high conservation value provinces. [2020-2025, $38,000,000]
- USAID Saving Threatened Wildlife supports Vietnam to tackle illegal wildlife trafficking. [2021-2026, $15,000,000]
- USAID Mekong Delta Coastal Habitat Conservation strengthens marine resources management to conserve biodiversity and enhance coastal resilience. [2021-2024, $2,900,000]
- USAID Sustainable Forest Management - While mitigating land-based emissions, this project also improves the function of forests and ecosystems through restoration along with conservation of natural forests and improvement of timber forest management to support healthy habitats and biodiversity, which help reduce disaster risk, support livelihoods, and improve food and water security. [2020-2025, $36,300,000]
ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Vietnam is among five countries in the world that account for nearly 60% of the ocean’s plastic pollution. Plastic pollution exacerbates the impacts of climate change as it harms marine life, disrupting life-sustaining ecosystems. Vietnam’s rapid growth has also caused various environmental pollution challenges, largely spurred by agriculture, transportation, and industrial production. USAID supports Vietnam to address these challenges in targeted areas through a collective impact approach while demonstrating benefits to public health, employment, and sustainable economic growth.
PROJECTS
- USAID Reducing Pollution strengthens networks of local organizations, government, private sector, and academic institutions working together to reduce environmental pollution. [2021-2026, $11,300,000]
- Collective Action for Water Conservation forms a community of concerned stakeholders and supports them to raise public awareness, collect data, and advocate for better local water conservation practices to reduce water pollution. [2020-2023, $1,500,000]
- Local Solutions for Plastic Pollution supports three cities to create and carry out action plans to reduce plastic pollution. [2020-2023, $1,600,000]
- Vietnam Action Against Plastic Pollution creates inclusive circular economies together with local and national governments, communities, and the private sector to reduce plastic pollution at its source. [2022-2027, $23,400,000]
PREPARING FOR AND RESPONDING TO NATURAL DISASTERS
Since 2000, USAID has provided more than $34 million in disaster response, preparedness, and disaster risk reduction assistance in Vietnam. Today, USAID partners with the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) on its disaster relief efforts while providing support to critical VNRC provincial and community branches to strengthen their emergency preparedness and response operations. In addition, USAID provides support through the American Red Cross to remote, at-risk communities in central Vietnam to strengthen their disaster preparedness and response.
