FloodAdaptVN: Integrating Ecosystem-based Approaches into Flood Risk Management for Adaptive and Sustainable Urban Development in Central Viet Nam: from science to practice

In central Vietnam, small and medium-sized coastal towns in particular are characterised by rapid urbanisation. This is accompanied by extensive surface sealing, the expansion of settlements into flood-prone areas, and a decline in infiltration and retention areas, with the result that heavy rainfall leads to enormous runoff volumes. The narrow and flat settlement area between the inland mountains and the coast also leads to very short response times in the event of heavy rainfall, which are exacerbated by degraded land and deforestation. Climate change is also expected to bring more severe and frequent extreme weather events, such as typhoons resulting in flooding in central Vietnam. Such storms cause considerable damage to infrastructure, agriculture, health and the economy. Due to changing settlement patterns, housing and lifestyles, it is necessary to rethink local vulnerabilities and civil adaptation practices and integrate them into planning.

The FloodAdaptVN project aims to develop scientifically based approaches to integrated flood risk management and climate-resilient urban and regional planning in the Vietnamese city of Huế, and to trial these approaches in practice. The interdisciplinary consortium of German and Vietnamese research institutions, universities, and authorities takes a multidisciplinary approach, combining scientific, technological, and socio-economic methods to improve risk understanding and strengthen adaptation strategies.

During the research and development phase (2021–2025), key methodological, technical, and institutional foundations were established. These include:

• the creation of a comprehensive geodatabase on land use, settlement development, flood events and ecosystems,
• the development of the FRAME risk information system, which integrates spatial data, scenarios and analyses and supports risk-informed decision-making processes,
• conducting extensive household surveys to assess vulnerability, risk perception and adaptation capacities,
• modelling future settlement and flood scenarios, taking into account climate and socio-economic developments,
• and analysing planning and institutional frameworks for integrating climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction into existing governance structures.

The results of the research and development phase are summarised in several reports – including the Risk Report, the Adaptation Report, and a Summary for Policymakers – and, together with FRAME and the information products, form the basis for the transition to the implementation phase. The reports are available on the project website.

The implementation phase (2025–2027) aims to transfer the developed approaches into practice. Key focuses include establishing and operating the FRAME information system within Hue University and local authorities, integrating risk-informed decision support into planning processes, building the capacity of local stakeholders, piloting adaptation measures and transferring knowledge to other cities and provinces in central Vietnam. During this phase, particular emphasis will be placed on incorporating the project findings and the experiences of Vietnamese stakeholders with flood adaptation into the German discourse. Additionally, cooperation with international partners will be expanded to create synergies and ensure the sustainability of the project results.

FloodAdaptVN will make a sustainable contribution to strengthening climate and flood resilience in Vietnam and the United Kingdom. The insights, methods, and tools obtained also have high potential for transfer to other regions in Southeast Asia, helping to translate scientific evidence directly into practical planning and decision-making processes.

Project lead:

Dr. Felix Bachofer
German Aerospace Centre (DLR), German Remote Sensing Data Centre (DFD)
Muenchener Str. 20
82234 Wessling

Phone: +49 8153 28-3183
E-Mail: felix.bachofer@dlr.de

Project partners:

• IZES gGmbH
• University of Tübingen
• Geomer GmbH
• LMU Munich
• United Nations University
• Hué University (HUIS)
• Hue Union of Science and Technology Associations (HUSTA)
• Hue City Commanding Committee of Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue (CCNDPC/SR)
• Hue Smart City - Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC)
  
  

Project Website FloodAdaptVN