Basin-wide climate change impact and vulnerability assessment for the Wetlands of the Lower Mekong Basin for adaptation planning

The Mekong River Commission has engaged ICEM to undertake a study entitled “Basin-wide Climate Change Impact and Vulnerability Assessment for the Wetlands of the Lower Mekong Basin for Adaptation Planning”. The study will be of 10 months duration and is expected to be complete early in the last quarter of 2011.

The purpose of this project is to undertake a climate change impact and vulnerability assessment of the wetlands in theMekong basin and provide recommendations and options for effective adaptation. Central to achieving this is the need to develop a solid scientific evidence base and a rapid spatial assessment methodology for climate change vulnerability assessments of natural systems.

The assessment will demonstrate the process and benefits of taking a geo-spatial approach to wetland vulnerability assessments, allowing for the transfer of scientific findings from the casestudy to the sub-basin and basin level and increasing the ability of the assessment to influence planning structures at these levels. A key output being the ability for scientists and planners to ‘up-scale’ the functional climate change response of a wetland to other wetlands of the same type. In accordance with internationalbest-practice, the assessment will also take a functional approach to defining wetlands, focusing on how the wetlands work rather than simply what they wetlands look like. This focus on ecosystem functions is better suited for integrating the hydro-metrological impacts of climate change on the wetlands as well as linking them to the livelihoods of the millions of people in the basin who rely on them.

The study will act as a pilot and demonstration for the benefit of all MRC member countries. The project will also build capacity for CC vulnerability assessments, principally within the NMCs, national agencies responsible for the natural resource management and thoseconcerned with implementing CC adaptation planning. Government staff will receive on-the job training and will participate in specific components of the assessment, targeted to their needs. The MRC Environmental Project has commissioned a partnership of leading climate change and natural systems management organization – IUCN, World Fish and SEA Start led by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management to undertake this study.

1st Regional Workshop
1st - 2nd March 2011

The first regional workshop took place at the beginning of March this year. To read more about the workshop and download the presentations given by experts in the wetlands of the Mekong Basin and climate change experts, please click here.

2nd Regional Workshop
11th - 12th July 2011

The second regional workshop took place in July this year. To read more about the workshop and download the presentations given by experts in the wetlands of the Mekong Basin and climate change experts, please click here.

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