Environmental and human resource development issues in Vietnam: The case study of the Mekong Delta

Abstract

The Mekong Delta in Vietnam was identified by the International Panel on Climate Change as one of the three most vulnerable deltas in the world to rising sea levels. A study by the International Centre for Environmental Management (ICEM) indicated that about 38% of the Mekong Delta will be submerged if the sea water rises by one metre, resulting in 90% of the agriculture land being flooded, and saline water intrusion increasing by 70%. The impact would be to increase the insecurity of this highly dense populations whose livelihood are dependent on agriculture. In response the Vietnam government has been implementing potentially adaptive strategies, including support for internal migration from the Mekong Delta to urban areas and industrial zones. However, without new skills and knowledge these internal migrants limited employment opportunities. Furthermore those migrants who manage to obtain work face the stress of adapting to industrial working environments and how to obtain knowledge about the industrial relations systems and human resource management processes that regulate their employment. This paper uses secondary data to presents an overview of the challenges for human resources from the internal migration of the climate affected Mekong Delta to urban areas. In doing so the paper pioneers an interdisciplinary approach that links research in environmental issues to research into human resources issues related to skills need.