Climate Impacts and Institutionalization in Viet Nam

In this article, we present an economy-wide assessment of the economic impacts of climate change in Viet Nam under a net zero scenario. Viet Nam is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the Asia - Pacific region. The changes in political and socio-economic conditions since the Đổi Mới reforms have been accompanied by the progressive building of new environmental policies. A specific form of Vietnamese environmental State has emerged, climaxing in the Net Zero announcement of Viet Nam at COP26 and its participation in the Just Transition Energy Partnership coalition. At the same time, the ongoing climate crisis makes it crucial to assess the climate change impacts for policy planning at the macroeconomic level. The loss due to climate change could prevent Viet Nam from achieving its development target of becoming an industrialized country by 2045, let alone reaching the Net Zero ambition. In addition, we consider how climate change and the political discourse on climate change are currently progressively institutionalized and becoming an integral component of Vietnamese social dynamics.