Understanding the Politics of Vietnamese Climate Adaptation: The Case of Dyke Policies in Ca Mau Province

The geography of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta makes it highly susceptible to climate change
effects which are believed to worsen in the coming decades. The country’s adaptation
policies and national discourses have primarily focused on engineering solutions like dykes,
seawalls, and sluices. Although investments have bolstered infrastructure development and
agriculture productivity, research indicates that these policies have led to a heavily modified
and engineered delta, raising concerns about environmental sustainability and social equity.
Through a policy analysis of Ca Mau Province, we provide insights into the dynamic
adaptation policy and the political forces that supported reinforcing dykes and other
defensive mechanisms rather than nature-based measures, which could arguably be more
effective. The article explains how the politics of climate adaptation results from the dynamic,
multi-level, and multi-actor governance landscape of climate change in Vietnam, as well as
how the preference for built structures impacts negatively local ecosystems and livelihoods