Vietnam faces significant environmental challenges
In Vietnam, a country with a population of 98.1 million, approximately 6.9% are in urgent need of safe, quality, and affordable housing. This need is particularly acute among those living in poverty, migrant workers, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities. Despite Vietnam’s economic progress, about 9 million people still live in extreme poverty, earning less than 700,000 VND (approximately US$30) per person per month, based on a family of four.
By 2049, it is projected that 3.14 million new urban households will be unable to afford small, modern permanent units or qualify for housing loans. Moreover, 20% of those currently residing in slums require access to essential services such as improved water and sanitation, adequate living space, and durable housing.
Vietnam’s urban residents, constituting 37% of the total population, are particularly vulnerable.
Vietnam faces significant environmental challenges, being highly susceptible to natural disasters including droughts, earthquakes, floods, forest fires, landslides, sea water intrusion, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions.
Its lengthy 3,200-kilometer coastline, which spans 28 provinces including 50% of the country’s major urban centers, places a substantial portion of its population at risk. Annually, the country experiences six to eight typhoons, and an estimated 70% of the population lives in coastal areas and low-lying deltas, heightening their exposure to flooding risks. Moreover, Vietnam is identified as one of the top five countries most likely to be impacted by climate change.
There is also a significant disparity in access to water and sanitation services. Around 20% of the population lacks access to clean water, and 17% do not have appropriate latrines, with the situation more severe in rural areas (23%). Regionally, 33% of those lacking adequate water and sanitation are in the South and the Mekong Delta, 32% in the northern regions, and 17% in the Central Highlands. This imbalance underscores the urgent need for infrastructure improvements to ensure equitable living conditions for all Vietnamese citizens.
