Climate Fund Central Vietnam 3

Following the successful previous projects in 2019 and 2020, four climate protection and climate adaptation projects by young adults from Central Vietnam are being supported by the Federal Foreign Office’s Climate Fund for the third time in a row. The small projects, which are designed and implemented locally by the young Vietnamese, are intended to raise awareness of climate change in Central Vietnam and demonstrate the population’s own ability to act through exemplary measures. In particular, the positive effects of climate protection measures on the standard of living, quality of life and nature are to be made clear. UfU supports the projects in terms of content and methodology and monitors their progress together with the local partner of the Mientrung Institute for Scientific Research (MISR), but they are organized and implemented independently by the young adults. The implementation of the individual projects is framed by a kick-off and final workshop, which lays the foundation for the implementation and provides an opportunity for exchange and reflection.

Project: Raising public awareness of the carbon sequestration capacity of seagrass beds to control climate change and minimize activities that lead to the destruction of the seagrass ecosystem in Lang Co lagoon, Thua Thien Hue province

Seagrasses are not only a habitat and spawning ground for marine animals, but also an important natural carbon sink. However, the public’s understanding of the role of seagrasses is not yet widespread as most people are unaware of their existence. In recent years, Vietnam has experienced a sharp decline in its seagrass areas due to fishing, aquaculture, pollution and infrastructure development. The project therefore aims to investigate the current status of seagrass meadow distribution in Lang Co Lagoon and the carbon storage capacity of seagrass meadows, to raise awareness among local people about climate change and the importance of seagrass meadows in mitigating climate change impacts in the region, and to promote direct community participation in implementing activities to mitigate the degradation of the seagrass ecosystem through workshops.

Project 2: Increasing the proportion of indigenous trees and productive forest in Cam Nghia village, Cam Lo district, Quang Tri province

The FSC-certified forest of Cam Nghia village plays a key role in the region in mitigating the negative effects of extreme weather events, erosion and loss of soil nutrients and is a source of income for over 5,000 people. However, there has been a decline in forest cover in recent years due to the lack of financial support for tree planting and the negative effects of climate change. The project aims to plant 1500 seedlings (500 Acacia, 500 Khaya Senegalensis, 500 Melia Azedarach) together with local volunteers on the land of the Keo Son Cooperative to raise awareness among the local population about the contribution of the forest to climate and environmental protection, to mitigate the effects of climate change on the local population, to increase the income of people with FSC certification and thus to introduce the business model to other farmers.

Project 3: Raising awareness of climate change through school gardens. A demonstration project at Hoa Phuoc Primary School, Hoa Vang District, Da Nang City

From 1990 to 2016, Da Nang City’s green forest area decreased over time, significantly reducing urban green spaces. In addition, the city is struggling with a lack of capacity to dispose of household waste. Therefore, the project team proposed a plan to develop a school garden at Hoa Phuoc Primary School, a school with a limited budget. In addition to the creation and continuous maintenance of the garden, the primary school students will be educated on climate change issues, waste disposal and garden maintenance through participatory formats such as quizzes, information events and garden participation. The team is also organizing an upcycling competition for secondary school students and an online climate change conference for 60 college students, which is intended to promote exchange and networking among students interested in combating climate change.

Project 4: Establishment of a climate change prevention and adaptation club in An Dong district, Hue city

In An Dong district, (retired) health workers, community representatives and district employees often encourage the population to participate in various community activities. However, activities to protect the environment and adapt to climate change have not yet been implemented. The project therefore aims to establish a place for communication and exchange on climate and environmental protection in the district by means of a Sunday club. The club’s activities focus on information events, waste collection and separation campaigns, tree planting campaigns and a social media competition. The project team will also report on climate protection at the monthly meetings of the An Dong Ward health station so that the medical staff, who often lead neighborhood groups, can contribute their knowledge to the neighborhood meetings and thus reach more people from the local population.