Ha Noi, 13 May 2022 - The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) organized a side event during the international conference "Sustainable Ocean Economy and Adaptation to Climate Change" entitled "Storm and flood resilient houses: Successful model and ways forward." The conference aims to share the storm and flood-resilient housing that the Vietnamese government and UNDP have supported since 2018.

Attending participants included representatives of UNDP, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, representatives of People's Committees, Departments of Natural Resources and Environment of 28 coastal provinces, embassies, and leaders of international organizations, NGOs, and coastal countries, domestic and international experts and beneficiaries.

Poor households in the central coastal regions have received support for constructing 4,100 resilient homes against floods and storms. It is a joint initiative to help communities cope with climate-related risks and impacts that have been initiated under the leadership of the Government of Vietnam, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Construction, in close cooperation with UNDP and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It combines grant support and the government's large-scale housing programme to build storm and flood resilient houses in some of Viet Nam's most disaster-prone locations.

"All these houses very successfully withstood the successive storms and large-scale floods that hit Viet Nam in 2020. Exactly as designed, they safely protected the lives and livelihoods of their owners and, in many communities, also protected neighbours living nearby. We are committed to building another 1,450 homes from 2022 to 2025, expanding to Binh Dinh and Ca Mau," said Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam.

According to a recent UNDP study with the Ministry of Construction, over 110,000 families still live without safe housing across 28 coastal provinces, including more than 25,000 in coastal districts. "The total cost is around $330 million to provide housing for climate-vulnerable in Viet Nam.    In a joint collaborative well-planned effort, it is possible to blend both public and private financing. It is an essential investment for ensuring a Just Climate Transition that benefits the most vulnerable and left behind," Ms. Wiesen added.

Mr. Tran Phuoc Hien, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee, said at the event, "Quang Ngai is a coastal province in the Central region that suffers from many storms and floods every year. In recent years, storms and floods have happened more often than usual, affecting thousands of homes and causing much damage to homes, property, and crops. Climate change is becoming more unpredictable because of natural disasters. It affects the poor and near-poor, who need help from domestic and international organizations and individuals. On behalf of the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province, I'd like to thank the organizations, donors, and UNDP, who have supported Quang Ngai province. We hope to continue to get support from UNDP in the future."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen, who lives in Binh Thuan commune, Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province, and Ms. Hoang Thi Thoan, who lives in Phu Loc village, Phong Chuong commune, Phong Dien district, Thua Thien Hue province, both took part in the event. They talked about the reality of a storm and flood resilient houses that were built by the Government of Viet Nam and the UNDP.

For more information, please contact:
Phan Huong Giang
Media and Communications Analyst, Climate Change and Environment
United Nation Development Programme
Email: phan.huong.giang@undp.org
Mob: 0948466688