Investigating Poverty and Environment Linkages in the Accelerating Development Process in Vietnam

Project Summary

In 1986, Doi Moi (renovation), the market-led economic liberation reform process, was launched in Vietnam. Over the decades, Vietnam has experienced an average economic growth rate of 7-8%. Nevertheless, poverty level still remains high and inequality reaches an alarming rate. Environmental problems become widespread. Industrial inputs and technologies such as pesticides, fertilizers, bio-engineered seeds for intensive farming practices have been extensively adopted for the sake of achieving high-yield production. Use of natural resources has been maximized in order to optimize profit. Ominous environmental externalities have resulted such as deforestation, loss of topsoil, loss of fresh water, increased flooding and loss of biodiversity.

Degradation of environmental resources has made it more difficult for livelihoods dependent on natural resources and recovering from increasing natural disasters. Subsistence populations are further impoverished. With limited income means, a worsening poverty situation forces people to continue to overuse environmental resources for their daily survival. As a result, environmental quality is further depreciated. A mutually deteriorating cycle of poverty and environment degradation is thus formed.

The proposed field research will take place through participation in the implementation of the project ‘Harmonizing Poverty Reduction and Environmental Goals in Policy and Planning for Sustainable Development (PEP)’ of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Vietnam and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Government of Vietnam. The objective of this PEP project is to strengthen Vietnamese Government capacity to integrate environment and poverty reduction goals into policy frameworks for sustainable development.

Focusing on of the institutional level (the policy and decision makers), the objectives of the field research are to

1. Examine what and how policies are formulated and implemented for harmonizing poverty reduction, environmental conservation and economic development in Vietnam, and why?

 

1. Analyze a) if the linkages of poverty and environment found in the PEP project truly reflect the original causes-and-effects of the poverty and environmental problems in the country b) effectiveness of the strategies chosen for harmonizing poverty reduction and environmental goals in policy and planning for sustainable development

This field study will be used to collect first hand information on the role played by the institutions (Vietnamese Government and international development agencies) on the poverty-environment issues in Vietnam.

Contact:

Ngan Ting LAM
Master of Arts in Development Studies Candidate
Graduate Institute of Development Studies, IUED
Email: katynt.lam@gmail.com

Christophe Gironde
Chargé de cours
Graduate Institute of Development Studies, IUED
Email: christophe.gironde@iued.unige.ch

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Vietnam
Tel: (84 4) 942 1495/ 942 4254
Fax: (84 4) 942 2267/942 4674
Website: www.undp.org.vn