Workshop Highlights Women’s Role in Climate Action and Disaster Risk Reduction
	Hanoi Supports the Disabled in Disaster Response

In response to the National Disaster Prevention and Control Week 2025, the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority, in collaboration with Plan International Vietnam and the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition (ISET), on May 13 held a national workshop titled "Application of Science and Technology in Flood Risk Management in Vietnam” in Ha Nam province's Phu Ly city.

This workshop is one of the key initiatives under Phase 2 of the project “Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (ZCRA): Enhancing Climate Change Resilience for Communities,” funded by the Z Zurich Foundation (Zurich Insurance Group – Switzerland). The project is being implemented over four years from 2024 to 2027 across 18 communes and wards in the provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Binh Dinh, Hue city, and Can Tho city.

It aims to strengthen the capacity and climate resilience of local authorities and vulnerable communities in disaster-prone areas, while also supporting local governments from the commune to provincial levels in effectively implementing policies and strategies for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

PhD. Vu Canh Toan – Technical Lead at ISET-Vietnam – shared that, despite recent improvements, early flood warning systems in ZCRA project locations. Photo: Plan International Vietnam

Due to the impact of climate change, floods in our country are becoming more extreme, unusual and difficult to predict. In 2024 alone, storms and floods after storms have caused hundreds of deaths and missing people, and economic losses have reached tens of thousands of billions of Vietnam dong. On the other hand, with a dense river and lake system, along with socio-economic development and urbanization, natural disaster risks due to floods are becoming more and more serious. Therefore, the application of science and technology in risk management for this type of natural disaster is becoming urgent.

The workshop aimed to share challenges in flood risk management as well as opportunities and solutions for applying science and technology to reduce the impacts of floods and inundation. It also sought to enhance the capacity of communities and stakeholders in disaster prevention and control more broadly. During the event, participants discussed the current status of flood risks in Vietnam, the challenges in early warning systems, technological solutions and models for flood risk management, and opportunities for collaboration among stakeholders.

According to PhD. Vu Canh Toan – Technical Lead at ISET-Vietnam – shared that, in spite of recent improvements, early flood warning systems in ZCRA project locations—Can Tho, Binh Dinh, and Thua Thien Hue—still face growing challenges. Climate change and other factors, such as rapid urbanization, inadequate infrastructure, and the reduction of green spaces, make floods more extreme and harder to predict.

Meanwhile, early warning information remains limited in terms of rapidity, level of detail, and accessibility, particularly during unexpected extreme events or emergencies. Many warning messages are still difficult for communities to interpret and often lack essential details, such as the expected timing, depth, and extent of flooding in specific areas. Early warning information often lacks timeliness, clarity, and essential details such as flood depth or extent, leaving communities vulnerable.

To address this, technology must play a greater role in enhancing the accuracy, accessibility, and coordination of early warning systems. By improving data collection, processing, and dissemination, technology can support informed decision-making and adaptive responses to increasingly uncertain flood risks.

Phan Thu Hien – Grant Portfolio Manager, Plan International Vietnam, emphasized that effectively responding to flood risks and climate change requires not only proactive communities but also the support of science and technology. Through this workshop, Plan aims to work with our partners to promote innovative technological initiatives and strengthen the capacity of local authorities and communities in flood risk management. Phase 2 of the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (ZCRA) project demonstrates Plan International Vietnam’s long-term commitment to standing alongside vulnerable communities, especially women, girls, and ethnic minorities, to build resilience against natural disasters and climate change for a green and sustainable future.

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