Enhancing Can Tho City Resilience to Respond to Saline Intrusion Caused by Climate Change

Program Locations: Can Tho, Vietnam
Project Duration: January 2012–December 2014
Project Lead: Ngo Thi Le Mai, Country Coordinator, Vietnam

Project Overview

The Can Tho salinity monitoring project is a collaboration with the Can Tho Climate Change Coordination Office, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and local research institutes. The project is part of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) and aims to develop and implement a real-time salinity monitoring system, determine threshold salinity concentrations, and identify and implement response mechanisms to increase climate change resilience in Can Tho, Vietnam.

Core Program Activities

Establishment of salinity monitoring stations and data transmission system: Conduct a field survey and selection of locations, set up of salinity monitoring equipment and stations, construction of central station, and establishment of data transmission/reception system.
Development of an on-line real time data management and presentation system: Construct the website with real-time data updates, create system to analyze raw data and establish salinity database, produce quarterly reports, and establishe warning systems for saline intrusion.
Identification of saline intrusion thresholds and response actions: Survey and collect information about impacts of salinization. Organize workshops for leaders to discuss responsive action plans to salinity alarm levels and propose agreements between departments, agencies, and people’s action plans.
Improve public awareness: Coordinate with the Department of Health to communicate with local people about risks of saline intrusion and climate change, and measures of response to saline intrusion.