Understanding the implementation gap: policy-makers’ perceptions of ecosystem-based adaptation in Central Vietnam

ABSTRACT

In recent years, nature-based solutions are receiving increasing attention in the field of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation as inclusive, no regret approaches. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) can mitigate the impacts of climate change, build resilience and tackle environmental degradation thereby supporting the targets set by the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework. Despite these benefits, EbA is still rarely implemented in practice. To better understand the barriers to implementation, this research examines policy-makers' perceptions of EbA, using an extended version of Protection Motivation Theory as an analytical framework. Through semi-structured interviews with policy-makers at regional and provincial level in Central Vietnam, it was found that EbA is generally considered a promising response option, mainly due to its multiple ecosystem-service benefits. The demand for EbA measures was largely driven by the perceived consequences of natural hazards and climate change. Insufficient perceived response efficacy and time-lags in effectiveness for disaster risk reduction were identified as key impediments for implementation. Pilot projects and capacity building on EbA are important means to overcome these perceptual barriers. This paper contributes to bridging the knowledge-gap on political decision-making regarding EbA and can, thereby, promote its mainstreaming into policy plans.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change
• ecosystem-based adaptation
• risk perception
• protection motivation theory
• decision making

Acknowledgements

Thanks to CSRD and the students from Huế University for the fruitful collaboration and support in the data collection activities as well as Dr. Kate Schreckenberg for her academic guidance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Ms Sabina Wolf has completed an M.A. in Environment and Development at King’s College London where she focused on nexus approaches to promote the linkages between sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. The data used for this article was collected in the context of her dissertation “Ecosystem-based approaches for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation: A case-study on policy-makers’ perceptions in Central Vietnam”.

Dr. Nathanial Matthews is the Programme Director at the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) where he leads GRP’s resilience investments with oversight across the technical work teams including: Markets and Innovative Finance, Technology and Infrastructure and Policy. He has published on a diverse range of topics including resilience, climate change, water, agriculture, forestry and ecosystems.

Ms My Pham is the director of the Centre for Social Research and Development (CSRD). CSRD is an NGO based in Hue, Vietnam. CSRD seeks justice for vulnerable communities threatened by external change. CSRD has not only retained a geographical focus in Thua Thien Hue and adjacent provinces in the Central Region of Vietnam but also undertaken projects throughout the lower Mekong.

Dr Philip Bubeck works as a senior researcher and lecturer at the Department of Environmental Science and Geography of Potsdam University with a focus on climate change adaptation, resilience, disaster risk reduction, and vulnerability. He is specialized in the development of approaches and methods for the assessment of resilience and vulnerability, the design of empirical surveys, and the identification of suitable adaptation strategies at various societal levels.

Notes

1 See https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/improving-resilience-vulnerable-coastal-communities-climate-change-viet-nam

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funding received from the Global Resilience Partnership Water Window through the Water Window project’s ResilNam Coastal and ResilNam Urban as funded by the Z Zurich Foundation.