Climate Change in the Mekong Delta
Written by: Lam Quang Phuoc Binh
Graduate of Can Tho University & Vietnam Alum
In recognition of our collective impacts on the climate and the news from the IPCC earlier this month, we wanted to share a beautiful piece written by one of our alumni about her hometown in the Mekong Delta.
I remember my mom used to say our region of the Mekong Delta was heavenly land. My homeland was blessed with good weather, a cool breeze, adequate sunlight, and never a catastrophe existed. Fruits, vegetables and a great many plants grew in abundance.
That was until a heatwave and drought struck back in 2015. The more scorching the weather, the faster freshwater evaporated. I remember feeling panicked. It was the first time in my life I heard about ‘saltwater intrusion.’ It killed my aunt’s paddy fields. She eventually lost all her crops and livelihood that year. Things seemed to be better years after that, but in reality the impacts of climate change in our part of the Mekong Delta have been getting worse.
Estuaries have long played the role of borderland between two turbulent flows of fresh and salt water. This important ecosystem keeps saltwater where it is meant to be - the ocean. Recently, sea level rise from global climate change has pushed seawater further inland. The landward intrusion of seawater is slowly seeping into the soil and killing crops and contaminating local freshwater supplies.
Where is the freshwater in the Mekong Delta?
Our lands have been nourished by the great Mekong River, which originates from the Tibetan Plateau. This transboundary river flows and branches off across different countries along the way before reaching our crops in the Mekong Delta. For the sake of hydropower, many upstream countries in the region are building dams on the river and blocking the flow of precious water to downstream areas.
There are currently 11 major dams currently in operation on its mainstream of the Mekong River, and another is planned in Laos upstream of Luang Prabang. It will be Lao’s third dam on the Mekong mainstem after the Xayaburi and Don Sahong projects. This is bound to have a significant impact on the water resources found in the Mekong Delta. Ironically, the Vietnamese agency PV Power (Petro Vietnam) will contribute 38% of the capital for the construction of the dam. Before this project goes forward, it is essential to hear the voices of the farmers and residents in the delta, or it could have a catastrophic impact on people living in the region.
I believe our delta and its population have hidden assets and will be instrumental in local adaptation efforts and the fight against climate change and water scarcity. We have hard-working and experienced farmers, brilliant engineers, enthusiastic youths, informed residents, active community groups and institutions, and so on. Everyone has their own gifts and capacity to offer and is passionate about restoring their homeland to the tranquil beauty they remember. By bringing community members together, making plans, and supporting each other, I am confident changes for a healthier future in the Mekong will come from the skills and ingenuity of local residents.
Do you have ideas on what you would like to see us do about climate change? Let us know! Otherwise, stay tuned as we continue to grapple with its impacts, and lay the groundwork for what we plan to do going forward.
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Our decision-making processes throughout the pandemic have been grounded in our values. We have been intentional in our approach to stay true to our mission. This year, we have continued to implement strategies to connect our network through peer-peer learning, hone our model for change and community-driven development, and tackle challenging issues like climate change.