Mekong Delta "Floating Flatpack", 5th. semester project
Two week project covering an analysis of the current challenges faced by the Mekong Delta inhabitants and a new innovative design on how to comprehend and adapt to these challenges.
Two week project covering an analysis of the current challenges faced by the Mekong Delta inhabitants and a new innovative design on how to comprehend and adapt to these challenges.
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CHALLENGES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN MEKONG DELTA
CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECT ON THE LIVELI-
HOOD
Climate change is not just a threat in the Mekong River Basin. Its impact is present and affecting
the livelihoods of the millions who rely on the river’s natural resources.
Rising temperatures and changes in the intensity of rainfall, river flow, floods, and droughts
are destroying homes, infrastructure, crops and fisheries. As a result, vulnerable communities
are faced with food shortages and diminished livelihoods. Additionally, predicted rises
in sea levels are set to increase salinity and floods in the Mekong Delta, causing damage to
crops in the most productive area of the basin.
According to the MRC (Mekong River Commission) research, a wide range of potential
changes are projected to occur over the next 20 to 50 years. Temperatures are projected to
increase across the basin and across seasons. By 2060 the average annual basin-wide increase
could be between 0.4 ̊C and 3.3 ̊C depending on the trajectory of global greenhouse
gas emissions. Average change in rainfall by 2060 under a dry climate scenario is projected
to fall by 16%, and under a wet climate scenario, to increase by 17%.
Many plant and animal species are highly vulnerable to climate change with large numbers
of fish particularly at risk due to their sensitivity to hydrological cues. Under a moderate
scenario to 2060, soil erosion losses are projected to increase by 16.9%.
IMPACT ON FISHERY IN THE AREA
Despite their importance, the Mekong fisheries is increasingly under pressure from a wide
array of impacts from basin development and climate change. Such impacts, many of them
negative, stem from the construction of hydropower dams, expansion of irrigated agriculture,
flood control and protection infrastructure, and other water resources development
projects.
As the population of the LMB is predicted to grow to over 100 million by 2025, dependence
on the fisheries sector will increase. If productivity declines, or if fisheries products are contaminated
with industrial waste as observed in many other parts of the world, the consequences
could be severe.