Environmental change in Vietnam
Dr. Tran Viet Lien
Climate Research Center, Vietnam Hydrometeorological Service, Lang Trung St., Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam. Tel: 84 4 8357159. Fax: 84 4 8355993. Email: lien@crc-imh.ac.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.
Global environmental change is a problem that must be attended by all the world. These changes are contributed to and have their expression in every country. Therefore, environmental change must be of current concern to all nations.
A country in Southeast Asia with 331,032 km2 area, Vietnam has a territory elongated over more than 16 parallels of latitude in a North-South direction in the intertropical belt. The climate of Vietnam shares essential features of a tropical monsoon climate with a complex and diverse mechanism, characterised mainly by hot-humid climates, damp and with plenty of rain. Under this climate, the natural ecosystems of Vietnam are very abundant and diverse. Tropical forest occupies more than 70% of the territory with many species of plants and animals. In the coastal zone, the mangrove forest ecosystem has important position in the coastal environment, especially in the south.
Up to now, agriculture is the main branch of production with 10-11 million ha of agriculture land, of which nearly 7 million ha are for annual cultivation, including 4.5 million ha for rice. Vietnam has a large marine territory, of more than 1 million km2 area. This is a region with rich mineral resources and a polymorphous biology. The population of Vietnam is over 74 million and the growth rate is still high, about 2.2%. The country has more than 500 cities, with a population of more than 16 million inhabitants.
As in many other countries, over the past century the environment in general and the climate in particular of Vietnam has changed. Temperature has increased over all the country and rainfall has also changed in many regions. The influence of tropical cyclones has an increasing trend, especially in recent decades.
The tropical forest has been exploited and destroyed, leading to a decrease not only area but also character. In many mountainous regions, the area covered by forest is now only a small part: 10-30% of the total land. The mangrove ecosystem is also being destroyed most strongly. The rate of forest loss annually is high while reforestation is lower, leading to a continual decrease of forest area. Together with deforestation, land use, in general, also changed rapidly, especially in agriculture. The polluted environment in certain geographical areas is adversely affecting people's health. Wildlife habitat is being rapidly reduced, and a number of species are facing the risk of extinction over coming decades. The country is also facing difficult social problems such as a high population growth rate, poverty, and child malnutrition, all of which exerts high pressure on food, safe water supply, and environmental sanitation.
This report presents some analyses on the current status of the environment in Vietnam, its variation and changes over past decades. The primary causes and consequences of this change are also presented. In the present situation of progressive urbanisation and industrialisation, environment problems will become more and more important. It is necessary to continue this study, not only in Vietnam but also in all of Southeast Asia, especially in the countries of Indochina. We hope to have good cooperation between countries on this problem.