ROLE OF ODA IN PROMOTING INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT IN VIETNAM THE CASE OF THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE

Transcription

1 ROLE OF ODA IN PROMOTING INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT IN VIETNAM THE CASE OF THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE Prepared by Vu Canh Toan 1 Hanoi, September 2012

2 ABBREVIATIONS ADB: AusAid: CCA: DANIDA: DARD : DONRE : DPI : DRR: GDP: GIZ: ICM: ICAM: ICZM : IMOLA: IUCN: MARD: MONRE : MOSTE: NOAA: PCM: PEMSEA: PPC: SC: SIDA: UNDP: VASI: VNICZM: WB: Asian Development Bank Australian Aid for International Development Climate Change Adaptation Danish International Development Agency Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Natural Resources and Environment Department of Planning and Investment Disaster Risk Reduction Gross Domestic Product German Society for International Cooperation Integrated Coastal Management Integrated Coastal Areas Management Integrated Coastal Zone Management Integrated Management of Lagoon Activities International Union for Conservation of Nature Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Provincial Coastal Management Partnership for Environment and Sustainable in East Asia Provincial People Committee Steering Committee Sweden International Development Agency United Nations Development Program Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands Vietnam Netherlands Integrated Coastal Zone Management World Bank 2

3 Role of ODA in promoting the Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Vietnam The case of Thua Thien Hue Table of Contents Introduction... 4 Methodology... 6 I. Background information General information about Thua Thien Hue Introduction of the VNICZM project and Thua Thien Hue s component II. Legal and institutional framework on ICZM The institutional framework on ICZM in Vietnam and Thua Thien Hue Contribution of ODA in ICZM institutional framework development III. Implementation of ICZM legislation and role of ODA Current implementation status and role of ODA Key challenges / obstacles and possible solutions IV. Conclusion and recommendations REFERENCES

4 Introduction With almost 3260 km of coastline, the coastal areas of Vietnam play a very important role in the Country s economy. Characterized by its rich natural resources, landscape (such as coral reefs, bays, lagoons and see grass) as well as its strategic location, this zone represents favorable conditions for the development of multiple sectors, namely aquaculture and fisheries, tourism, transportation and coastal industries. Nowadays, there are 28 coastal provinces (among 64 provinces of the Country) and half of the important cities and towns in Vietnam such as Da Nang, Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, are located along the sea with a population representing around 50% of the total population of the country [19 and 5]. The sea and coastal based economy is expected to represent approximately 50 to 55% of the national GDP in Over the last few decades, coastal cities and provinces have experienced a high economic growth rate, which has contributed significantly to improve the local economies and the quality of life of coastal communities. At the same time, this has put huge pressure on coastal areas, which has resulted in environmental degradation, loss of coastal biodiversity and destruction of coastal habitats as well as in the depletion of coastal resources. Some of the causes of this have been unsustainable exploitation and overuse of natural resources, such as over-fishing or unplanned aquaculture production; unplanned coastal zoning resulting in conflicts of interest between different groups such as tourism; fishery and aquaculture; and agriculture. Before 2004, there was no integrated coastal zone development plan or strategy in any coastal towns or provinces and there was a fragmented and sector oriented management approach with no clear outline of the responsibility of government agencies in managing the coastal zones. According to Dr. Chu Hoi, the former vice director of Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands, coastal areas are being managed by 15 different sectors and ministries [5]. In addition, due to their geographic condition, coastal areas in Vietnam are highly exposed and affected by natural hazards, particularly typhoons. This situation is expected to be more serious in the future with the impacts of climate change. In this context, there is urgent need for better and more integrated management tools and approaches in Vietnam. Being aware of this issue, Vietnam started to pay attention to the Integrated Coastal Management approach in the early 1990s. However, the Country still could not come up with any specific policy and solution for improving the aforementioned problems after almost ten years (from 1990 to 2000). Most of the relevant efforts were invested in academic research, improving understanding and raising awareness. In 2000, Vietnam received support from some 1 According to the Resolution No. 09 NQ-TW dated on 9 February 2007 about Sea Strategy of Vietnam up to 2020) 4

5 international donors to pilot the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) 2 approach in Vietnam. Among a few others, the Vietnam Netherlands Integrated Coastal Zone Management (VNICZM) Project, supported by the Netherlands Government is one of the first and most influential and successful ODA efforts on ICZM 3 in Vietnam. This project helped Vietnam build capacity, both conceptually and at the application level of ICZM, strengthen the institutional framework for ICZM, raise awareness, build transparent data management, improve data accessibility and in developing, for the first time, the ICZM Strategies and Action Plans for three provinces (including Nam Dinh, Thua Thien Hue and Ba Ria-Vung Tau) taking part in the effort. The VNICZM project also supported Vietnam in drafting its National Strategy on ICZM and the Vietnam Coastal Zone Atlas. These are the main reasons that the VNICZM project was selected for this study. In addition to the VNICZM, Vietnam has also received help from other ODA sources such as NOAA from the US, World-Fish center and PEMSEA. This support has played a crucial role in promoting and enabling the integrated approach for coastal management in Vietnam both at the policy development and implementation level. In this report, we will explore the case of ICZM development and implementation at the local level in Vietnam as well as what and how ODA has contributed to promoting and improving this approach and tool, through examining the case in the Thua Thien Hue Province with support from the Netherlands government. 2 In some other projects or programs people use ICM (Integrated Coastal Management) or ICAM (Integrated Coastal Area Management). However, in this report, we use the acronym ICZM standing for Integrated Coastal Zone Management. 3 The concept on ICZM used in this project is defined as a process of managing the resources of the coastal zone whereby participation of all affected economic sectors, government agencies and non-government organizations is involved in a systematic and sustainable fashion. 5

6 Methodology This study will focus on the case of ICZM in Thua Thien Hue Province with a particular emphasis on the support of the Netherlands Government through their VNICZN project. This program has been selected because it was one of the first important instances where ODA support has been provided on ICZM in Vietnam. This has been considered by many stakeholders as the most influential project in the area of ICZM. In addition, the VNICZM has been implemented for a sufficient duration of time, with high diversity in the activities implemented. Regarding the case of Thua Thien Hue, we decided to study this Province as it is a member of the VNICZM initiative, part of the First National Program on ICZM and is one of the most active provinces on ICZM in Vietnam. The information generation and analysis of this study is based on interviews with key informants and stakeholder consultations aiming to elicit perceptions of causal relationships and to identify remaining challenges and shortcomings. The study is supplemented by reference to and review of relevant documentation, such as legislative texts, policies and strategies, evaluation reports, and research papers. The interviews were conducted with policy owners and implementers of key legislation that is related to ICZM, such as the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands and the Division of Seas, Islands and Lagoons of Thua Thien Hue Province. In addition, some interviews were conducted with relevant government departments, local universities and NGOs in Thua Thien Hue as well as some representatives of the Division of Seas and Islands and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Binh Dinh Province, as well as some other related stakeholders. Research question: The following research questions will be answered with a particular emphasis on the role played by the Development Cooperation, including the ways in which ODA has contributed to or impeded development and how it can be strengthened: 1. What is the legislative and policy framework surrounding this initiative? 2. What is the legacy of the legislative initiative, including previous policies, key political objectives, drivers of its formulation, and organizations involved? Specifically, how have different donors, projects and programs made contributions through introducing objectives, assumptions and methods? 3. What is the status of implementation of the initiative and possible predecessors, including the delivery of concrete outcomes? Specifically, what has been the role of ODA, if any, in enabling this implementation, and if so how? 4. What are the main past and current obstacles to effective implementation and enforcement of the legislative framework? Specifically, what obstacles have emerged from ODA programming and how has ODA taken notice of such obstacles in the past and overcome them? 5. What are the possible pathways to further strengthen the initiative, as expressed by different stakeholders? Specifically, how do key Vietnamese actors believe that ODA support can contribute to strengthen the initiative, and how do these views resonate with current planned ODA strategies? 6

7 6. Based on findings from the research questions above, which key recommendations can be made to donors for more effective use of ODA to support the initiative? 7

8 I. Background information 1.1 General information about Thua Thien Hue Thua Thien Hue Province is located in the North Central Coast of Vietnam with an area of 503, ha [32] and a population of 1,090,879 in which 470,907 people are living in urban areas and 619,972 are living in rural areas [33]. It shares the border with Quang Tri in the North, Da Nang and Quang Nam in the South, Laos in the west and the Sea in the east. The province has nine administrative units including Hue city, two towns and seven districts in which three are bordered by coastline. The coastal areas consist of 128 km of coastline and 22,000 ha of lagoons, of which Tam Giang Cau Hai is the biggest in the Southeast Asia, representing around 30% of the total area of the province and containing more than 80% of the total population [21]. Figure 1: Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam[31] Thua Thien - Hue has a very diverse topography, comprising forest, mountains, hills, rivers, streams, coastal lagoons and marine areas. It features a tropical monsoon climate with a rainy season lasting from September to February and a dry season lasting from March to August. The province has a very severe hydrological regime and weather conditions. Although there is six months in the wet season, rainfall concentrates in October and November and represents between 60 to 70% of the annual value [30]. In addition to a very hot and dry season, this area has to suffer almost every year from extremes climate related events such as flash flooding, inundation, tropical cyclones and typhoons. In recent years, the City has been impacted by a number of natural disasters with significantly increasing frequency and intensity, causing enormous human, socio-economic, environmental and cultural losses. 8

9 The annual local economic growth rate has remained higher than 10% during the last six years, with a rate of 13.4% in 2007 [29]. The economic structure is moving towards services first then industry/construction and finally agriculture/forestry. In 2010, the services sector represented 45.2% of the annual provincial GDP followed by the industry and construction sectors at 39.7%. The agriculture/forestry area placed in the last position with only 15.1% [25]. According to the Master Plan for socio-economic development of Thua Thien Hue, these respective sectors are predicted to be 47.4%,- 47.3% and 5.3% of the annual provincial GDP in The coastal zone in Thua Thien Hue The coastal areas of Thua Thien Hue play an important role in the local social economic conditions, as they represent around 30% of the total provincial area and encompass approximately 80% of the local population. The Tam Giang Cau Ha lagoon, with an area of 22,000 ha and a length of 67 km is located across five districts including Phong Dien, Quang Dien, Huong Tra, Phu Vang and Phu Loc, and as such, largely dominates the coastal zone of the province [33]. It is the largest lagoon system in Vietnam and also in South East Asia and is the main source of income and wellbeing for the majority of these coastal communities. There are nearly 300,000 to 350,000 people, or a third of the total provincial population that rely mainly or partly on the resources associated with the lagoon. However, the coastal areas in general and Tam Giang Cau Hai in particular, have been under increasing threat from a number of factors, such as increasing economic and urban expansion, population growth, as well as unsustainable resources exploitation. Therefore, the need for a better coastal management is urgently required. 9

10 Figure 2: Coastal areas of Thua Thien Hue province [23] 1.2 Introduction of the VNICZM project and Thua Thien Hue s component Introduction of the ICZM project in Thua Thien Hue As mentioned earlier, the coastal areas play a very important role for Vietnam. However, this zone is under significant pressure due to multiple reasons such as over exploitation of natural resources, pollution, unplanned aquaculture production, conflicting interest between stakeholders, sector oriented management, etc. In this context, the Vietnam Coastal Zones Vulnerability Assessment study supported by the Netherlands government during demonstrated that coastal areas especially low lying zones are very vulnerable to the impacts of future development in which climate change. The study s result also showed the need for a better management approach and recommended that integrated coastal zone management is the most appropriate process for resolving coastal development issues and for adapting to long term impacts such as from climate change [6]. Following this recommendation, the Netherlands government decided to help Vietnam in promoting the ICZM approach since the year 2000 through the Vietnam Netherlands Integrated Coastal Zone Management project (VNICZM). The VNICZM has 2 phases. The first was implemented during the period from September 2000 to August 2003 and the second was an extension phase lasting from November 2003 to October The goal of VNICZM is to build capacity and advise the Vietnam government in planning and developing the country 10

11 coastal zone in a sustainable way. This was divided the in different specific objectives as following [35]: - Introduce the concept of ICZM and its application in Vietnam; - Support to apply the ICZM approach in 3 pilot sites including Nam Dinh, Ba Ria Vung Tau and Thua Thien Hue provinces; - Awareness raising and capacity building on ICZM planning for relevant national and local government agencies, other stakeholders and coastal communities in Vietnam; - Support in developing a long term ICZM plan and in establishing a focal agency for ICZM activities in Vietnam; A list a key tasks for implementation was also proposed in order to achieve the above objectives. These include: - Setting up offices and relevant facilities, administrative and organizational arrangement - Support partner provinces to develop Integrated Coastal Zone Management Strategy and Action Plan and aim to support the development of National Strategy and Action Plan - Improve management process and data base as well as information sharing system to support the ICZM process and activities - Training and capacity building for government officers, managers and technical experts in the field of ICZM - Identify and implement research on key issues related to coastal areas and propose appropriate solutions The ICZM in Thua Thien Hue The VNICZM project was implemented in Thua Thien Hue from June 2001 to August 2003 for the first phase then extended until 2005 for the second phase. The overall goal of the project is to enhance living conditions by sustainable use of the resources of the lagoon and coastal area through application of ICZM in the province. A number of specific objectives and associated tasks were also identified. Some of the key objectives and tasks are described in the table below [15]. Table 1: Key objectives and associated tasks of the VNICZM project in Thua Thien Hue Key specific objectives - Assist PPC-DOSTE in linking relevant studies (past, present and future) concerning flood disaster management, coastal zone management, river basin development, Key tasks Task 2.1: Identify available information on flood disaster management, coastal zone management, river basin development, biological resource management, environmental management, institutional development, etc. 11

12 biological resource management, environmental management, institutional development, etc; - ICZM database: review, evaluate and improve database and GIS tools for the purpose of ICZM activities. Link this action to the activities, which are being undertaken in the VNICZM coordinating office in Hanoi. Collect and analyse existing information, study and define assignments for analysis and understanding of ICZM issues in the province Assist the PPC (Provincial Peoples Committee) in developing a long term Strategy document (10 years) and a shorter term Action Plan (3years) for ICZM; Implement a preliminary environmental zoning procedure. Increase institutional and professional capacity to apply ICZM and raise awareness about ICZM issues and opportunities; Task 2.2: Collect ICZM related data from relevant projects, with the use of internet in the case of projects outside Vietnam. Task 2.3: Establish GIS capacity: review, evaluate and improve database and GIS tools for the purpose of ICZM activities; continue to update GIS and database Task 3.1: Collect (additional) information concerning identified conflicts and the physical, economic and social characteristics in general. Task 3.2: Execute data measuring campaigns (optional). Task 3.3: Review data from the viewpoint of ICZM; creation of a set of maps and databases that integrate the available data (one thematic map per conflict) in preparation of an environmental zoning procedure. Task 3.4: Set-up and calibration of 1D/2D hydrodynamic and water quality models. This would be a useful addition to the project but cannot be included in the present scope due to budget constraints. This will be further investigated to seek additional funding. Task 3.5: Study of changing boundary conditions: impacts of climatic change, sea level rise and population growth. Task 3.6: Preparation of alternative solutions to problems, based on quantification of criteria, using GIS, databases, an environmental zoning procedure, dedicated mathematical models and other decision support tools. Task 4.1: Assistance in preparation of an ICZM Strategy Plan (10 years) Task 4.2: Assistance in preparation of an ICZM Action Plan (3 years) Task 6.1: Establish a Provincial Steering Committee (PSC) at the PPC level, chaired by a senior PPC Executive Member. Task 6.2: Awareness raising of other institutes to this project and its applications in relation to their responsibilities; an important task for the PSPO and the PSC Task 6.3: Contract local experts in order to build a local reservoir of experts and know-how and establishing the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) In terms of its organizational structure, the project was overseen by the National Steering Committee (cross ministries) and led directly by a provincial Steering Committee (SC) with support and assistance from the Pilot Project Office. The local SC was initially led by the director of Department of Science, Technology and Environment, but a vice chairman of TTH People Committee then took over this responsibility. Members of the SC are leaders of sectoral departments. They meet regularly every 3 months to review progress and identify issues, 12

13 challenges and solutions. A number of local government agencies and other relevant stakeholders such as Hue University and local NGOs were also closely involved in the project activities as members of the ICZM working group. Central level Provincial level National Steering Committee Provincial Steering Committee Cross sector experts group Director Board National Project Office Provincial Project Office Cross sector ICZM working group National, international and local experts Figure 3: Management and organizational structure of ICZM project[18] II. Legal and institutional framework on ICZM 2.1 The institutional framework on ICZM in Vietnam and Thua Thien Hue Although the ICZM approach was introduced in Vietnam in the beginning of the 1990s in terms of research activities, at the time when the VNICZM project started in Vietnam in 2000 there was not yet any legal document on ICZM at the national level. This meant that there was no obligation for provincial governments to develop ICZM strategies and action plans and therefore that Thua Thien Hue was one of the pioneers in the country piloting this approach. Looking back to the history, we can see that there are different steps in the ICZM development process in Vietnam. It can be divided tentatively into three time periods; before 2000, between 2000 and 2007 and after Before 2000, most related activities focused on research that was aimed at increasing understanding and public awareness on the importance of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management approach. Some fragmented and small-scale research 4 According to Mr. Hua Chien Thang, Former Coordinator of the VNICZM project and Vice Director of the Center for Coastal and Marine Planning and Studies, Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI), MONRE 13

14 projects were supported by organizations such as AusAid, ADB and InWent. One of the first donor-supported efforts on integrated coastal management in Vietnam was the Provincial Coastal Management (PCM) project funded by Sida during This program focused on capacity building in coastal and marine management in Nghe An and Quang Binh provinces in the centre of the country and included training in environmental legislation, marine management and in principles of integrated development and land/water use planning [7]. From Vietnam s perspective, the most important research carried out before 2000 was the national study on the development of Integrated Coastal Management Plans for Environment Protection and Ecological Conservation ( ). It was the first project on ICZM funded by the Vietnamese Government. During the period from 2000 to 2007, the ICZM approach was introduced and piloted in Vietnam with support mainly from international donors and organizations. Some of the most significant (in terms of impact) projects include: - The ICZM demonstration project in Da nang supported by the Partnership in Environment Management for Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) from June 2000 to June 2006 for the 1 st phase. It was aimed at building capacity for the city in coastal resources and environmental management and was geared towards achieving sustainable development and providing support to Da nang in becoming a ICZM demonstration site for replication elsewhere in Vietnam. Thanks to this project, Da nang is the first in Vietnam to have an ICZM Strategy. The model of Da Nang was then replicated in Quang Nam province with funding from the central government during [18]. - The Vietnam- Netherlands ICZM project ( ) funded by the Netherlands Government and implemented in three pilot sites including Thua Thien Hue, Ba Ria Vung Tau and Nam Dinh provinces (please see the description above) [18]. - The ICZM project, implemented in Ha Long (Phase 1, ) and Quang Ninh Hai Phong (phase 2, ) under cooperation between Vietnam and the US, was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This project focused on providing training, basic equipment, habitat mapping and ICZM framework development for the pilot sites [5]. The period after 2007 was dedicated to achieving replication, scaling up and institutional development of ICZM. Some national policies on ICZM have been developed using the experiences and lessons from the aforementioned efforts. The two main legal documents approved so far include: the Program on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the North Central and Central coast provinces up to 2010 and vision to 2020 endorsed through the Decision 158 in 2007 (Program 158 in short) and the Government Decree No. 25/2009/ND-CP on Integrated Marine Resources Management and Environment Protection dated on March 6, 14

15 2009 (Decree 25 in short). The main goal of Program 158 is to strengthen the capacity to manage, protect, use and exploit coastal environments and resources in order to support the sustainable development of 14 provinces in the North Central and Central coast areas through applying the ICZM approach and model piloted in Da Nang and VNICZM provinces. This is summarized in the following objectives (up until 2010): - Establishing the legal frameworks and appropriate mechanisms, developing the policy and strengthening resources and technical facilities for the implementation of ICZM in the North Central and Central Coast Region; - Applying the ICZM approach in all provinces and cities under the direct control of the central government in the North Central and Central Coast Region. The Program also identified 25 specific projects and has planned an implementation budget of 150 billion VND until 2010 and 500 billion VND until The funding will largely come from the state budget in addition to other lawful sources [26]. According to the conclusion of the Workshop organized in March 2012 by MONRE and VASI on ICZM, there has been a significant delay in implementing Program 158. This is due partly to the limited budget that was allocated by the State [11]. Decree 25 is the first integrated policy on coastal and marine resources management and clearly highlights the need for functional zoning and planning for marine and island resource use. It has also set up a mechanism and legal regulation for multi-disciplinary and multi-sector co-operation and co-ordination in managing coastal resources and environments. This shall therefore create favorable conditions for application of the ICZM approach. The key principles as mentioned in the Decree for the integrated management of natural resources and environmental protection of the sea and islands include: - Ensuring unified, interdisciplinary and inter-regional management, while simultaneously harmonizing common interests of involved parties in the exploitation and use of natural resources and environmental protection of the sea and islands; and closely combining the development of sea areas and islands with that of inland areas toward industrialization and modernization; - Closely combining socio-economic development with environmental protection, ensuring safety at sea and simultaneously protecting national security, sovereignty and integrity; - Increasing and diversifying forms of investment, while attracting all domestic and international resources for socio-economic development and ensuring environmental protection of the sea and islands; - Proactively preventing, stopping and mitigating pollution while also remedying degradation of the environment of the sea and islands; and protecting and developing ecosystems of the sea and islands for sustainable development and 15

16 - Observing marine treaties to which Vietnam is a contracting party. In addition, some other tasks have also been assigned to the MONRE as the focal ministry on ICZM. Some of these include 5 : - Preparation of the National Strategy on ICZM and supported policies; - Development of the 5 year ICZM Action Plan; - Incorporation of the key content of ICZM into the revised version of the Environmental Protection Law and other related legal documents; - Establishment of the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands under MONRE (done!); and - Implementation and supervision of the implementation of Program 158 (on going). To date, the National Strategy on Integrated Coastal Zone Management and the Law on Marine Resources and Environment are being prepared but have not yet been approved. These will be tentatively submitted to the Government and National Assembly in one or two years. In Thua Thien Hue province, the two most important ICZM documents are the provincial Strategy on Integrated Coastal Zone Management up to 2020, and the ICZM Action Plan for the period , both of which were approved in The Strategy provides a framework for the decision making process in sustainable development of the provincial coastal areas. Specifically, the document gives direction to the local government in balancing economic development, poverty alleviation and environmental and natural resource protection and conservation, while reducing damages from natural hazards. It serves as a guide for cross sector and cross level coordination in managing complex issues that are mainly caused by conflicting interests between multiple users of coastal resources. The ICZM Strategy has four main components including: - ICZM capacity building component which aims at raising awareness and knowledge on ICZM for local government staffs and communities and at strengthening the resources and environmental management in Thua Thien Hue coastal areas; - Common resources and environment protection component which focuses on restoration and conservation of coastal habitats, resources and other values, as well as on prevention and treatment of pollution and on mitigation of the negative impacts on coastal zones; - Mitigation of impacts and damages from natural hazards component, which uses an integrated approach in policy development and spatial planning to decrease the negative impacts of natural disasters; 5 According to Mr. Hua Chien Thang, Former Coordinator of the VNICZM project and Vice Director of the Center for Coastal and Marine Planning and Studies, Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI), MONRE 16

17 - Sustainable use of coastal natural resources component which aims at ensuring harmonization in development, environmental and natural resources protection and conservation, and in balancing the conflict between relevant sectors and stakeholders. Each of the above components was sub-divided in a series of actions presented in the ICZM Action Plan of Thua Thien Hue for the period between 2005 and The main purpose of the Action Plan was to facilitate the implementation of the Strategy at all levels within the Province. 27 specific actions were identified, designed to address institutional changes, capacity building requirements and awareness raising; to identify vulnerable areas in the coastal zone and translate this into zone planning and policy documents; and to investigate, analyze and propose an integrated approach for sustainable use of coastal resources. In terms of organization structure, at the central level, the National Assembly is the highest legislative body to contribute to ICZM while the Government has the biggest role in assuring ICZM laws are executed and adhered to. The Provincial Peoples Committees, which are located directly under the National Government, have a similar role at their respective levels with assistance from DONRE. The district and commune Peoples Committees, which have limited technical and financial capacity as well as policy making power, are tasked with merely providing administrative and logistical support for the implementation of ICZM activities, if there are any. The first ICZM initiatives were initially coordinated by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE) but then by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) since 2002, when MOSTE was split in to two: Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and MONRE. In 2008, the Vietnamese Government established the Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI). Located under MONRE, this agency is expected to ensure cross-sectoral and integrated management and coordination of all sea, coast and islands issues, which relate to almost 15 ministries and sectors. At the provincial level, DONRE is the state management body of coastal related issues. Recently, a number of Division of Seas and Islands departments have been established under DONRE. This agency will be directly in charge of coastal planning and management. 17

18 National Assembly ICZM legislative body Administrative relationship Technical relationship National Government ICZM national executive body Provincial People Committee (PPC) ICZM executive body at provincial level District People Committee District level executive body MONRE ICZM National state management body DONRE Under administrative supervision of PPC and technical supervision and guidance of MONRE ICZM provincial state Other Ministries and agencies Support MONRE and implement ICZM activities in their sectors VASI Assist and advice MONRE on ICZM state Division of Seas and Islands (and Lagoon) Assist and advice DONRE on ICZM state management and implementation Commune People Committee Commune level executive body Division of Natural Resources and Environment Under administrative supervision of PPC and technical supervision and guidance of DONRE Support implementation of ICZM activities at district level (if any) Environment Officer Administrative and logistic support implementation of ICZM activities at district level (if any) Figure 4: ICZM legislative and executive organizational arrangement 18

19 2.2 Contribution of ODA in ICZM institutional framework development At the national level, support from international donors and organizations have played a crucial role in promoting and supporting the development of ICZM institutional frameworks across the Country. Being aware of the problems in coastal areas due to unplanned and unsustainable economic activities as well as impacts of climate change coupled with the need for a better management approach and tools for the coastal zone, the Vietnamese Government has started to pay attention to the integrated management approach since the early 1990s. The country has joined a number of international treaties and agreements related to the protection of coastal natural resources and environment, such as the International convention on protection of wetlands (RAMSAR, 1988); United Nations convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS, 1994); International convention on the control of trans-boundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal (BASEL, 1995); International convention for the protection of pollution by oil from ships (MARPOL, 1991); and the Sustainable development strategy for East Asia Seas. Implementation of the obligations and agreements under these treaties however, remain limited [4]. While the ICZM approach in particular has been recognized by the Vietnamese Government as the most appropriate approach for coastal management, very small progress (in terms of both scale and scope) was made by Vietnamese institutions and governments until This was mainly due to capacity and financial constraints. As mentioned above, before 2000, the most important government effort stayed only at the research level. In this context, the support of international communities through ODA has generated significant and positive outcomes and has moved the ICZM activities forward. Numerous examples to exemplify this are listed below: - Firstly, most activities on integrated coastal management so far, have been mainly financed by international organizations namely WB, ADB, IUCN, GEF, Danida, GIZ, Sida, NOAA, the Netherlands government, and PEMSEA (a regional program of GEF and UNDP) 6 [5,9,18,22]. - Secondly, the projects/programs supported by these organizations, first introduced the concepts, tools and methodologies related to integrated coastal management then built the capacity for Vietnamese institutions and relevant stakeholders to carry out coastal zone planning and implementation. Under the VNICZM project, a series of workshops and training courses were organized in Hanoi and in partner provinces. Government staff involved in this program also received intensive courses and some even participated in Master programs in the Netherlands. 6 The Vietnamese Government always provides 10-20% of in kind country contribution 19

20 Table 2 : Some relevant ICZM projects supported by international donors and organizations Ord. Project title/topic Areas of support Time, budget, location 1 Coastal sensitivity mapping for Vietnam Funded by SIDA 2 Provincial Coastal Management Funded by SIDA 3 The Vietnam- Netherlands ICZM project Funded by the Netherlands Government 4 ICZM demonstration project Supported by PEMSEA and funded by UNDP and GEF 5 Coastal Wetlands Protection and Development Project Funded by WB+DANIDA 6 Strengthening institutional capacity for provinces in central region of Vietnam Funded by ADB 7 Capacity building on ICZM for Vietnam Funded by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 8 Facilitation of ICZM in Vietnam World Fish Center 9 Integrated management of Lagoon activities - IMOLA Funded by FAO and Italian Government 10 Management of Natural Resources in the Coastal Zone of Soc Trang Province Funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and supported by GIZ Study of environmental conditions of Vietnamese coastline Vietnam Capacity building Nghe An, Quang Binh Province Capacity building Policy development Planning Policy development Planning Capacity building Coastal mangrove wetland ecosystem; Protection of coastal resources and functions Capacity building, policy development and livelihood improvement Hanoi (national office) Pilot sites: Thua Thien Hue, Ba Ria Vung Tau and Nam Dinh provinces Da Nang Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces Institutional capacity building Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, TT Huế và Quảng Nam Provinces Training, basic equipment, habitat mapping and ICZM framework development Capacity building and materials development Sustainable livelihood in coastal communities Policy development Capacity building Planning Planning Capacity building Sustainable management of natural resources Phase 1: Phase 2: Ha Long city, Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh Province Viet Nam Phase 1: Phase 2: Budget: US $ 2,726, 988 Thua Thien Hue Province Phase 1: Phase 2: Budget: 5,000,000 Euro Soc Trang Province 20

21 - Thirdly, training materials have also been developed and tailored in a Vietnamese context by some organizations. The manuals developed with support from World Fish Center during were published and used as training materials. Documents developed for training organized by PEMSEA have been also widely distributed and used by relevant stakeholders in Vietnam. Since 2010, the VASI has prepared the training program on ICZM for Vietnam and associated materials as part of Program 158. According to Dr. Hua Chien Thang, the team leader of this mission, the experience and knowledge gained from the projects supported by PEMSEA have been particularly useful and cited, in particular in Da nang and the VNICZM program in Thua Thien Hue, Ba Ria Vung Tau and Nam Dinh. - Fourthly, and more importantly, some key persons interviewed such as Mr. Hua Chien Thang, Dr. Chu Hoi, Mr. Le Van Thu and Ms. Tran Lan Anh highlighted that the demonstration project in Da nang and especially the VNICZM had contributed significantly to the development of Program 158, Decree 25 as well as to the draft of the National Strategy on Integrated Coastal Management. Some even considered Program 158 as a result of the VNICZM project. In addition, the methodologies, tools and experiences from PEMSEA and VNICZM have been used for other provinces when implementing this important program. Aside from this, we can see from the session 2.1 previously that the ICZM strategy and Action Plan of Thua Thien Hue Province were developed before Program 158 and Decree 25. This means that efforts at the provincial level have supported the development of central level policy rather than the inverse of that, which is typically more common. In other words, the VNICZM has contributed to promote a new approach for policy development in Vietnam, which considers experience and knowledge at the provincial and local levels. Fifthly, regarding organizational arrangement, the VNICZM conducted a study designed to potentially establish a state management body in charge of integrated coastal management at the central level. The results of this research have served as a very important foundation for the creation of the Division of Integrated Management of Coastal Areas, Seas and Rivers Basins belonging to the Environment Protection Agency ( ). This then became the Centre for Planning and Integrated Coastal Management under the VASI [16]. In sum, according to Dr. Chu Hoi, foreign donors have brought a significant change in thinking and behavior in the national administration with an emphasis on broader vision, integrated action, and stronger ownership. In Thua Thien Hue province The concept of ICZM was introduced in Thua Thien Hue Province in 2001 through the VNICZM Project. For many people (such as government staff, local planners, researchers, community members) and government agencies in Hue, it was the first time they heard about this new approach. According to Mr. Thu, the former Coordinator of the VNICZM project in Hue and Vice 21

22 Director of the Thua Thien Hue Division of Seas, Islands and Lagoons, as well as a number 7 of local people involved in this program, before 2001 and especially after the historical flood in 1999 the provincial authorities were extremely concerned about coastal issues and recognized the need for better management. However, they did not know how to improve the situation. This was due partly to budget constraints and limited knowledge and understanding of potential integrated management tools and their methodologies. This was because, at that time, the ICZM notion was new even at the central level and there was no policy or legal documentation that specifically addressed ICZM in Vietnam. In this context, the VNICZM Project was implemented with financial and technical support as well as an appropriate methodology, and helped the Province to build its foundation in integrated coastal zone management 8. Specifically, a Provincial Integrated Coastal Management Strategy (up to 2020) and an Action Plan ( ) was developed as a result of the VNICZM program. These outputs were achieved through completion of a series of tasks such as: Establishment of an ICZM database; Collection and analysis of existing information, research and definition of assignments for analysis and understanding of ICZM issues in the Province; Initiation of applications of ICZM through practical problem solving approaches, which can be applied in the short term as a follow-up to further strengthen the VNICZM initiative; Training and awareness raising; Dissemination of ICZM policy, etc. (please also see the table above for more information about objectives and tasks of the VNICZM project Thua Thien Hue component) [13]. Another important contribution of the VNICZM project was generated through the process of developing legal documents. In contrast to the traditional sector approach, the ICZM Strategy and Action Plan of Thua Thien Hue were prepared and written with technical guidance and facilitation support from national and international experts. The project engaged different sectors and levels in the working group, rather than merely a single department such as DONRE, with members coming from 16 local agencies. The ICZM has been the most successful donor funded project in Thua Thien Hue and greatly contributed to the development of Program 158. When the Province was selected to be part of the VNICZM Project, the provincial leaders, especially Mr. Thien (General Secretary of the Party) and Mr. Hoang (Vice Chairman of the Peoples Committee) were very happy, as ICZM is the management tool they had been looking for. (Mr. Le Van Thu, former coordinator of ICZM project in Thua Thien Hue, Vice director of Thua Thien Hue Division for Seas, Islands and Lagoon) 7 Dr, Prof. Ton That Phap, Ms. Vo Thi Tuyet Hong, Dr. Tran Huu Tuyen, etc. 8 According to Mr. Thu and some former members of ICZM working group under the VNICZM project. 22

23 Figure 5: Organizational structure for development of Thua Thien Hue ICZM Strategy [13] In addition, the Coastal Cooperative Program, an additional supporting program of the Netherlands Government to VNICZM during , assisted in improving public participation in the decision making process through establishing a local platform for discussion. This allowed multiple stakeholders at different levels to communicate with local authorities and identify present and future coastal problems and solutions. For example, three consultative platform discussions involving the heads of districts, farmers, fishermen, aquaculturists, as well as representatives of women leagues, were held in Thuan An, one of the main fishery towns on the shores of Tam Giang lagoon [18]. III. Implementation of ICZM legislation and role of ODA 3.1 Current implementation status and role of ODA At the national level, there has been some delay in implementing ICZM activities in comparison to the objectives fixed by the Government. Although Program 158 and Decree 25 were approved and the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands, and a number of Division of Seas and Islands at the provincial level were established, little progress has been made. Most relevant initiatives under this program have focused merely on awareness raising and partly on capacity building 9. A number of training sessions, workshop, exchanges and experience sharing events on ICZM have been organized by either VASI or by and with support from International 9 According to Dr. Chu Hoi, The Former Vice Director of VASI and Professor at the National University of Hanoi. This point was also mentioned in his presentation on ICZM in Vietnam at the National Workshop on Integrated Coastal Areas Management organized by GIZ and SocTrang Province in November

24 organizations/donors, in particular PEMSEA for government staff of coastal provinces as well as for relevant national stakeholders and agencies. As an example, in December 2011, VASI organized a study tour for seven provinces taking part in the ICZM Agreement between MONRE and PEMSEA at three model sites in Da nang, Quang nam and Thua Thien Hue [3]. At the local level, up to 2010 (deadline of the first phase of Program 158), there were only four provinces in the North Central and Central coast region, including Thua Thien Hue, Nam dinh, Da nang and Quang nam, that had completed and approved their ICZM strategy even though the objective of Program 158 by 2010 was to implement integrated coastal zone management in all 14 provinces and municipalities 10 in this region. In Thua Thien Hue, the first and most important framework on ICZM is the Provincial Strategy endorsed in This document defines a set of principles for its implementation, including: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) Ensuring wide dissemination and thorough guidance about the content of the Strategy to sectors at different levels, agencies/organizations and to individuals for raising awareness and soliciting the support of the public; Ensuring relevant sectors/agencies/organizations commonly develop and implement the ICZM action plans, integrating them into their own programmes /plans; Ensuring the effective multi-sectoral coordination and cooperation among provincial departments, agencies and other stakeholders and soliciting the support from national/international organizations; Ensuring sufficient financial and human resources and technical tools for the Strategy implementation; Ensuring development and realization of the monitoring mechanism on the effectiveness of the implementation of the Strategy, based on particular criteria; Institutionalizing ICZM through the formation of advisory and executing multisectoral organizations for the PPC in the coastal zone development, and development of ICZM related legal documents [21]. After the completion of the VNICZM Project and the approval of Program 158, Thua Thien Hue has been one of the most active provinces in implementing their ICZM Strategy and Action Plan. This can mainly be attributed to the support provided from the Provincial Peoples Committee and the assistance from relevant government departments such as DONRE, DPI, and DARD. More specifically, it can be attributed to the contribution of a few key provincial leaders and members of the ICZM working group who have been closely involved in the VNICZM project. The following activities and achievements justify this statement. 10 Municipality is a city under the direct control of the central government. It s at the same political and administrative level as a province. There are five municipalities in Vietnam including Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Can Tho cities. 24