The Mekong Delta System

This unique collection of multidisciplinary contributions by international experts analyzes the characteristics of, and challenges to, the Mekong delta in Vietnam-home to 17m people and facing threats such as rising sea levels, salination and overextraction.

This book about the Mekong Delta presents a unique collection of state-of-the-art contributions by international experts from different scientific disciplines about the characteristics and pressing water-related challenges of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The Mekong Delta belongs to one of the areas, which are to expect the largest challenges concerning environmental change and climate change induced sea level rise . The Delta acts as the rice bowl of Southeast Asia and is home to over 17 Million people, who need to cope with ecologic as well as socio-economic changes linked to the rapid economic development of the country. Annual floods, severe droughts, salt water intrusion, degrading water quality, tropical cyclones, hydrologic changes due to hydropower projects in the upstream of the Mekong, coastal erosion, and the loss of biodiversity are some of the problems in the region. Heterogeneous resource management responsibilities, and the fact that the Mekong and thus also the Delta is influenced by six countries aggravate the situation. Integrated water resources management and fostered cooperation and information exchange are pressing needs for the sustainable development of the Delta.

Environmental Change and Climate Change is a hot topic especially in densely populated river deltas of the world Southeast Asia and especially Vietnam as an emerging country in the centre of attention A large group of organizations active in the Delta (potential customers) e.g. AuSAID, USAID, GTZ, KfW, Daninda, Mekong River Comission, UN, Worldbank, Asian Development Bank

Inhalt

Deltas under Climate Change.- Introduction to the Mekong Delta(Physical Geography).- Landcover, landuse and changes in the Mekong Deltar.- Hydrology of the Mekong Delta.- Large scale water Quality in the Mekong Delta.- Distribution and concentration of Pesticides in the Mekong Delta.- Mangrove Ecosystems and coastal protection in the Delta.- Biodiversity of the Mekong Delta.- Aquacultural and agricultural production in the Lower Mekong Climate Change.- Modelling for the Lower Mekong.-Vulnerability of the Mekong Delta.- Population Knowledge Management in the Water Sector of the Mekong.- Power relationships in the Vietnamese Water Sector.- An Information System for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong Delta.- Integrated Water Ressources management, IWRM, for the Mekong.- Future Outlook.