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Global environmental change research in VietnamDr. Nguyen Huu NinhMember, Southeast Asian Regional Committee for START, Global Environment Programme, Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam, and CERED, A01, K40 Giang Vo, Hanoi, Vietnam. Tel: 84 4 8515213. Fax: 84 4 8515213. Email: cered@netnam.org.vn.Abstract of paper presented at the conference Environmental Change and Vulnerability: Lessons from Vietnam and the Indochina Region, Hanoi, Vietnam, April 4-5th 1998. The Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training (START) is a framework of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), addressing regional research initiatives and needs, jointly with the International Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Programme (IHDP) and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). The four START main programme objectives are:
There are different regional networks in development at different stages: Southeast Asia, South Asia, Temperate East Asia, Northern Africa, Mediterranean, Southern Africa, etc. The Southeast Asia (SEA) region of START was one of the initial regions assigned a high priority for establishing a regional network. The Southeast Asia Regional Committee for START (SARCS), which was formed to facilitate this process is comprised of representatives from Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China-Tapei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Following a series of SARCS meetings, priorities for regional research objectives were defined:
The Southeast Asia START Regional Center (SEA START RC) serves as the information and co-ordination center for the regional network. In addition, it is expected to perform the following region-wide tasks: training, data management, synthesis, assessment and modelling, and communication of scientific results to policy makers. In recent years, Vietnamese scientists have been involved in several studies related to global environmental change. For example:
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