US-Vietnam Workshop on Multiple Natural Hazards Assessment and Mitigation under the Impact of Climate Change

Michigan Technological University, Houghton MI

Investigators

Abstract

This project will support the participation of US scientists and engineers to participate in a workshop on multiple natural hazards assessment and mitigation under the impact of climate change to be held in the summer of 2012, on the campus of the Hanoi Architecture University (HAU) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Asia is the most populous region of the world; home to 58% of the worlds' population. Most coastal areas in Asia are susceptible to one or more natural hazards, such as typhoons, tsunamis, costal inundation or river flooding. In fact, more than 50% of the world's major natural disasters occur in Asia. With the steady increase in population and wealth in coastal areas of Asia, there is an evident increase in risk of potential typhoon and flood damage, which is often exacerbated by the lack of proper mitigation practices. In Vietnam, for example, 59% of the land area is at risk to typhoons and floods. Between 1990 and 2009, economic losses due to natural hazards averaged about 1.31% of GDP per year, while 13,000 lives were lost. As a result, Vietnam ranks #5 among the countries most affected by climate risk from 1990 to 2009. In the coming years, global climate change may result in changes in the sea surface level as well as an increase in typhoon and flood intensity and/or frequency. Vietnam is listed among five hardest-hit countries by climate change. If sea level rises one meter, 5% of Vietnam?s land, 11% of its population and 7% of its agricultural land would be affected with the losses estimated at 10% of GDP. How climate change will affect regional climates and the built environment and sustainability is not well known, limiting the ability to predict and adapt to consequential effects. Southeast Asia is particularly vulnerable. The goal of the workshop is to facilitate the initiation of long-term collaborative research activities focused on hazard mitigation and graduate education supported by both the US and Vietnam. The workshop will provide a venue for exchange of information, contribute to developing professional collaborative relationships, and will strengthen scientific and engineering research. The objectives are 1) to identify challenges and barriers to more cost-effective hazard mitigation strategies in developing countries, which are at risk of multiple natural hazards and vulnerable to potential impacts from climate change; and 2) to facilitate and encourage research and educational collaboration between researchers from Vietnam and the US. The workshop will address a need to improve our understanding and ability to predict and respond to the impacts of natural hazards and climate change on the built environment, and to work toward more sustainable and resilient coastal communities in Vietnam and similar regions. It is envisioned that through the future collaborations fundamental methods for multi-hazard mitigation practices will be developed and applied by graduate students from both countries working together.