Vietnam
Box J
REDD+ in Vietnam: The national context
A development success story vulnerable to climate change
Vietnam is undergoing rapid changes in the social, economic and even climate domains. Although its population growth rate has fallen by half over the past two decades, Vietnam is already the 13th most populous nation with up to 1000 people/km2 in the Red River Delta (Townshend et al. 2011).
Vietnam’s poverty reduction story is well known. Political and economic reforms (Doi Moi), launched in 1986, transformed Vietnam from one of the poorest countries in the world to a lower middle income country by the end of 2010 (World Bank 2014). The country’s rate of poverty reduction ranks sixth globally for both absolute and relative progress toward achieving Millennium Development Goals (Dilley et al. 2005; Steer et al. 2010). However, according to Bojo (2011), much of the spectacular economic growth has been fueled by intense exploitation of natural resources.
Over the past 50 years in Vietnam, the average annual temperature has risen by 0.5°C–0.7°C (Government of Vietnam 2011). The average annual temperature is projected to increase by another 0.8°C–3.4°C by 2050 (IMHEN and CSIRO 2013). A World Bank study claimed that Vietnam is in the top five countries most threatened by sea level rise (Dasgupta et al. 2007). Dilley et al. (2005) also classified Vietnam as one of the top 10 most vulnerable countries in the world, due to the number of people exposed to natural hazards. The Working Group II of the IPCC included Vietnam in the map of “Hotspot of key future climate impacts and vulnerabilities in Asia,” given its high population density and two mega deltas, the Mekong River and the Red River (Cruz et al. 2007, 481). In recognition of this reality, Vietnam’s 2008 National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change and the National Strategy on Climate Change in 2011, set out strategic goals and a roadmap for both adaptation and mitigation actions.
A pioneering country for REDD+
Vietnam’s forest cover declined from 43% to 27% between 1943 and 1990 (Quy and Can 1994). Since then, Vietnam has made considerable efforts to increase its overall forest cover, including setting a target of 45% forest cover by 2020 in the National Strategy on Green Growth. By the end of 2012, Vietnam had increased forest cover to 39.7%, or 13.8 million ha of forest on 16 million ha of officially designated forestland (MARD 2013). The increase was mainly due to new plantations (MARD 2010), while the quality of natural forests has continued to decline due to fragmentation and degradation. Over two-thirds of Vietnam’s natural forests are considered poor or regenerating, while mature forest constitutes only 4.6% of the total (UN-REDD 2013).
Since 2009, Vietnam has taken significant steps toward establishing REDD+. In late 2009, UN-REDD started piloting REDD+ readiness activities in the province of Lam Dong. The current REDD+ portfolio consists of 20 REDD+ initiatives funded both bilaterally and multilaterally. The National REDD+ Action Program (NRAP) was approved in 2012. A few provinces have recently embarked on the formulation process for Provincial REDD+ Action Programs (PRAPs). Dien Bien was the first province to approve its PRAP in May 2014.
The Government of Vietnam plays a central decision-making role in REDD+. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a one-party state. The Vietnam Communist Party provides leadership and guides national policy making. The Prime Minister runs the government and has ultimate decision-making power over the operations and implementations of the Party’s resolutions. Reflecting this central structure, there is a National REDD+ Steering Committee, the ultimate policy-making body, chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and constituted by members from various ministries. The Vietnam REDD+ Office (VRO), based in the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, coordinates REDD+ implementation activities.
The REDD+ Network, now comprised of over 200 individuals from 56 organizations, became active in 2010. The Network has six subtechnical working groups (STWGs), each chaired by two representatives from government and UN agencies or NGOs. The six STWGs address the areas of: governance, private sector engagement, MRV, local implementation, benefit distribution systems and safeguards. Over the past few years, the STWGs have made important recommendations for the development of REDD+ in Vietnam. However, the VRO’s capacity to coordinate and lead the implementation of the NRAP is limited, and in 2014, many of the STWGs became inactive due to lack of motivation and leadership from key actors.