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Cumulative Pressures on Sustainable Livelihoods: Coastal Adaptation in the Mekong Delta

Author

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  • Timothy F. Smith

    (Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC 4558, Australia)

  • Dana C. Thomsen

    (Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC 4558, Australia)

  • Steve Gould

    (Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC 4558, Australia)

  • Klaus Schmitt

    (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Soc Trang Province, Vietnam)

  • Bianca Schlegel

    (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Soc Trang Province, Vietnam)

Abstract

Many coastal areas throughout the world are at risk from sea level rise and the increased intensity of extreme events such as storm surge and flooding. Simultaneously, many areas are also experiencing significant socio-economic challenges associated with rural-urban transitions, population growth, and increased consumption resulting from improving gross regional product. Within this context we explore the viability of proposed adaptation pathways in Soc Trang province, Vietnam — an area of the Mekong Delta experiencing cumulative pressures on coastal livelihoods. A participatory workshop and interviews, using a combination of systems thinking and futures techniques, revealed a shared goal of sustainable livelihoods, which provides an integrated and systemic focus for coastal adaptation strategies. Emphasizing sustainable livelihoods is less likely to lead to maladaptation because stakeholders consciously seek to avoid optimizing particular system elements at the expense of others — and thus engage in broader decision-making frameworks supportive of social-ecological resilience. However, the broad ambit required for sustainable livelihoods is not supported by governance frameworks that have focused on protective strategies (e.g., dyke building, strengthening and raising, to continue and expand agriculture and aquaculture production) at the expense of developing a diverse suite of adaptation strategies, which may lead to path dependencies and an ultimate reduction in adaptive capacity for system transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy F. Smith & Dana C. Thomsen & Steve Gould & Klaus Schmitt & Bianca Schlegel, 2013. "Cumulative Pressures on Sustainable Livelihoods: Coastal Adaptation in the Mekong Delta," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-14, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:1:p:228-241:d:22937
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Fischer, Alexandra Paige, 2018. "Pathways of adaptation to external stressors in coastal natural-resource-dependent communities: Implications for climate change," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 235-248.
    3. Florian Koch & Sigrun Kabisch & Kerstin Krellenberg, 2017. "A Transformative Turn towards Sustainability in the Context of Urban-Related Studies? A Systematic Review from 1957 to 2016," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Burak Güneralp & İnci Güneralp & Cesar R. Castillo & Anthony M. Filippi, 2013. "Land Change in the Mission-Aransas Coastal Region, Texas: Implications for Coastal Vulnerability and Protected Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(10), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Ryan Plummer & Steven Renzetti & Ryan Bullock & Maria de Lourdes Melo Zurita & Julia Baird & Diane Dupont & Timothy Smith & Dana Thomsen, 2018. "The roles of capitals in building capacity to address urban flooding in the shift to a new water management approach," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 36(6), pages 1068-1087, September.

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