1. Adaptation to Climate Change in Vietnam Opportunities and Barriers Nguyen Mong Cuong Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology Hanoi - Vietnam Email :

2. 1 + Located in the area most effected by natural disasters + Long coastal line of 3260 km with low coastal deltas + The impacts of climate change are very serious. 2. The works of V&A assessment has been done under Vietnam National communication project. Sectors are under assessed as bellows : Water resourches; Agriculture; Coastal zone; Forestry and land use; Energy and transport; Aquaculture; Humanhealth.

3. 3. Vietnam policy has great concerns to environment protection, sustainable development and raising the people's living standard 1993, The Law of Environment and 1994,The Guidelines for the implementation of the law issued. 2000 : National Strategy for Environment Protection (NSEP) in 2001-2010 was approved 2001 : Vietnam Country Program to implement UNFCCC has been formulated with the main activities including formulating strategy, policy and action plant to adapt CC and to decrease impacts CC. 4. The cooperation among research officers, Universities in V&A assessment under N C project has been established

4. Barriers 5.The lack of appropriate data + The lack of adequate monitoring and collection + Difficulties experienced in accessing data- bases. + Lack of technical capacity to analyze and manipulate data for V&A + Lack of quality assurance 6. Uncertainties in regional, local climate change scenarios, Socio-economic scenarios 7. Public awareness for policy - makers on the subject of V&A is inadequate + Lack of knowledge on CC and V & A from policy - makers. + Lack of ability of technical personnel to convey clearer and concise information on CC and V&A issues to policy - makers

5. 8. Financial and technical support is limited : + Lack of methodologies to identifying and collection information, apply models and interpret results + Inadequate financial and technical capacity to develop or modify existing models and methodology. + Lack of financial sources to implement the adaptation measures. 9. The institutional arrangement for V&A studies is weak.