A seminar on the inclusion of natural capital in planning infrastructure development was held in Hanoi on February 7.

The event was co-held by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam (ISPONRE), the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Participants discussed how to integrate natural capital in policy development in the most efficient and economical manners. They also stressed the need of mechanisms to encourage the inclusion of natural capital in localities’ long-term development. 

ISPONRE Director Nguyen The Chinh said the event offered opportunities for Vietnam to understand the significance of natural capital and its relation with development activities, especially in infrastructure building.

On February 6, the ISPONRE and the GIZ held a conference to review a project using official development aid (ODA) of the German government to promote ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to climate change in Vietnam.

Speaking at the event, the ISPONRE head said the three-year project has successfully helped integrate EbA solutions in policies and set up demonstration models in Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces. The project’s outcome will be an important foundation to build a more comprehensive cooperative programme to help Vietnam respond to climate change.

Ivo Litzenberg from the GIZ said the project focused on improving knowledge and sharing experiences on EbA activities through various training courses. Under the project, EbA pilot models have been launched since 2016 in coastal areas vulnerable to moving sand and erosion in Quang Binh central province, which combined the planting of protection forest with developing sources of livelihood such as cow raising, fish farming and vegetable growing. 

Meanwhile, models in mountainous areas of Ha Tinh province piloted the planting of indigenous trees along with those of high economic values such as local specialty orange and pineapple in combination with bee keeping.

Participants also discussed measures to raise public awareness about EbA, along with approaches and methodologies for national ecosystem assessment and building of assessment index.-VNA