Mekong Environmental Security Assessment
The Mekong Environmental Security Assessment (ESA) is part of the Environmental Security for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA), a five-years lasting program funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ESA in the Mekong Delta was executed by Water Partner Foundation (WPF) and the Institute for Environmental Security (IES), in co-operation with the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research (SIWRR) in Vietnam.
The purpose of the ESA was to assess the level of degradation of the mangrove forests in the Nam Can district, and the related threats to provision of life-supporting ecosystem services and goods for human needs. Recommendations have been formulated for decision makers in government, the private sector and NGOs on an array of practical decision tools, strategic maps and policy improvements to better protect and manage the mangrove forests in Nam Can district in the Mekong Delta.
Water Partner Foundation organized a mission to Nam Can district, including a large multi-stakeholder workshop with 55 participants on 26thof April in the conference room of the Nam Can District People’s Committee. The purpose of the workshop was to obtain a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the issues, their root causes and effects in the study area, and based on this understanding make policy recommendations.
About 95% of the invitees actually attended with workshop, which was highly appreciated for its strong interaction between participants. During the workshop a method called ‘group model building’ was applied.This included development 26 cognitive maps, and one group model. The group model provided a synthesis of different perspectives from provincial, district to local governments, water users and civil society.
Water Partner was also responsible for developing the final ESA Mekong report.
More information: www.envirosocurity.org/espa
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