Connecting Environmental Changes, Impacts and Responses in the Mekong Delta to Human Wellbeing and Ecosystem Integrity

Successful adaptation to climate change, environmental change and its associated, interlinked impacts on human health and ecosystem integrity is vital for the wellbeing of the large populations of people inhabiting Asia’s megadeltas.

 

The United Nations University has identified the Mekong Delta as a region highly suited for the propagation of meaningful and responsive adaptation efforts. This UNU multi-partner initiative will undertake a transdisciplinary analysis of threats to human health and wellbeing and ecosystem integrity caused by climate change and responding large-scale changes in the Mekong Delta. Assessment tools will be developed to evaluate the chain of events from environmental change to impacts on human wellbeing and ecosystem health. The project area is focused on the Delta region of the Mekong, shared by Cambodia and Vietnam, while also closely linked to activities and pressures on the of the entire basin.

 

In recognition of the complexity and interconnectedness of the pressures and impacts to be addressed in the Mekong Delta, six UNU institutions, each with their thematic area of excellence, have come together;

• UNU-EHS (Institute for Environment and Human Security)
• UNU-ESD (Environment and Sustainable Development Programme)
• UNU & GIST (Science and Technology for Sustainability)
• UNU-IEGL (Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law)
• UNU-IIGH (International Institute for Global Health)
• UNU-INWEH (International Network on Water, Environment and Health)

These centres of excellence comprise a highly specialized, interdisciplinary team. The project team composition duly responds to the important inter-linkages between human health and the environment as well as the realms of policy formulation and technology deployment which play an important role.