Harnessing social protection: Enabling climate-resilient livelihoods in Viet Nam - Water scarcity and income insecurity in the Mekong Basin

Viet Nam is currently experiencing shifting patterns of water availability, characterised by growing scarcity and significant impacts on the living conditions of vulnerable populations. Coastal regions face challenges stemming from saline intrusion, exacerbated by rising sea levels and amplified tidal movements linked to increasingly severe tropical storms.

Concurrently, altered rainfall patterns have led to extended periods of drought adversely affecting local livelihoods, as well as abrupt flooding events triggered by intense, shortduration rainfall, particularly in the Central Highlands. These issues are further intensified by inadequate infrastructure, complicating efforts by local communities to effectively adapt to conditions rapidly evolving due to climate change.

To respond to these challenges, social protection emerges as a critical policy instrument, operating in coordination with complementary policy areas, specifically emphasising the adaptative capacity of workers and vulnerable populations to cope with and adapt to the consequences of water scarcity.

This report explores options for adapting Viet Nam’s social protection system so that it can help to build resilience to the livelihood impact of increasing water scarcity due to climate change.