Understanding ecological risks (Ecological Risk Assessment or ERA) created by climate change is part of an approach to help communities understand the problems.

A corner of Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve in northern Hai Phong Province. Ecological risk assessment was piloted to provide evidence for risk assessment of mangroves and the brackish pond systems in the area.

Creating Biosphere Reserves (BR) to promote sustainable development is part of the solution.*

Pilot schemes covering these two areas are being carried out in Vietnam. Lessons learned were discussed at a two-day workshop on building resilience in coastal areas that ended on October 2 in Hanoi.

The work is being done in the Red River Delta coastal Biosphere Reserve embracing the northern provinces of Nam Dinh, Thai Binh and Ninh Binh.

Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve in northern Hai Phong Province is also reported to be helping local people enhance their natural resources and livelihoods.

The new ways of looking at climate were introduced and implemented with support from the Swedish International Development Agency in targeted localities, some facing definite risks.

At the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve in Phu Long Commune, ecological risk assessment was piloted to provide evidence for risk assessment of mangroves and the brackish pond systems, including species diversity and survival rates for shrimps.

Dr Jonas Gunnarsson from Stockholm University recommended that the ERA tool provided a cost-efficient method on how to calculate environmental risks. Interpreting the data, however, required expertise in ecology, environmental chemistry and socio-economics.

Professor Hoang Tri, secretary of the Vietnam MAB (Man and Biosphere programme) National Committee, said ERA was highly recommended by the global scientific community.

Vietnam has a total of eight biosphere reserves relating to more than 4 million hectares.