Vietnam

Biến đổi khí hậu 'nuôi' siêu bão thế nào?

VN Express | Local Language | News | Nov. 10, 2025 | Climate Change

Storms form when ocean surface temperatures reach 27°C, creating conditions for warm, moist air to rise and generate rotating winds. Due to climate change, ocean surfaces are warming, leading to a rise in the intensity of storms over the past four decades. Recently, the South China Sea experienced multiple severe storms including Matmo, Fengshen, and Kalmaegi, with Kalmaegi causing fatalities and extensive damage in Vietnam and the Philippines. Another super typhoon, Phượng Hoàng, is currently forming and expected to enter the region soon.

Scientists note that while climate change does not increase the number of storms, it intensifies them by warming ocean surfaces and the atmosphere, resulting in stronger winds, heavier rainfall, and greater coastal flooding risks. Superstorms with wind speeds exceeding 184 km/h are becoming more frequent, and some storms now exceed the highest current classifications like the Saffir-Simpson scale. For example, Superstorm Melissa intensified rapidly over unusually warm waters and caused severe economic losses in Jamaica.

Research indicates that since 2019, maximum storm wind speeds have increased by around 30 km/h on average due to ocean warming. Additionally, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, causing heavier rainfall, and sea-level rise worsens storm surges. The IPCC reports that the proportion of storms reaching category three or higher has increased over the last forty years, affecting new geographic areas and communities less prepared for such threats. Calls are rising to update storm classification systems to reflect more intense storm conditions.

In Vietnam, projections indicate an increase in strong to very strong storms and more frequent heavy rainfall episodes by the end of the century. Climate change poses a significant economic risk, with potential GDP losses up to 4.5% if temperatures rise by 1.5°C without effective adaptation measures.

Vietnam Net - E | English | News | Nov. 10, 2025 | Critical Infrastructure Failure

The Ministry of Construction (MOC) responded to inquiries about urban flooding in Hanoi, citing multiple causes including natural conditions, climate change, sea level rise, outdated planning, inadequate drainage infrastructure, and insufficient investment. Hanoi’s drainage system, designed in 2013 to handle 310mm of rain over two days, was overwhelmed during recent storms, which delivered up to 500mm in less than a day, resulting in severe flooding. The system’s capacity has not kept pace with rapid urbanization, with many drainage networks over 50 years old and combining rainwater and wastewater into a single system, creating uneven drainage capacity.

Vietnam currently has about 900 urban areas, more than ten times the number in 1998, but urban drainage pipes per capita remain at 0.7m/person, only one-third of the global average. Urban expansion has also reduced natural water absorption areas, worsening flood risk. Only six centrally-run cities have specialized drainage planning, and most plans do not incorporate recent climate change data or urban growth. Investment in drainage infrastructure is insufficient, with state funding covering only 60% of needs and almost no public-private partnership projects in this sector.

To address flooding, MOC recommends short-term measures such as clearing drains, dredging waterways, repairing pipelines, operating pumping stations flexibly, and protecting lakes and wetlands from being filled. Long-term strategies include integrating drainage with land use and transportation planning, enhancing system capacity, prioritizing public investment, constructing regulating works, and enforcing construction compliance. The ministry also calls for promoting non-structural solutions like increasing water storage and reducing concrete surfaces, as well as applying information technology for smart drainage management and early warning systems. MOC is preparing a draft Law on Water Supply and Drainage for government review in 2026 and National Assembly consideration in 2027, alongside revisions to related drainage regulations.

Thời tiết bất lợi tác động mạnh đến tiến độ giải ngân

Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Nov. 10, 2025 | Extreme Weather Events

The Government targets an 8.3–8.5% growth in 2025, relying on the full disbursement of the public investment plan, which totals VND 1,060,631.4 billion including central and local budgets. As of October 23, 2025, VND 464,828 billion has been disbursed, representing 51.7% of the plan, with several ministries and localities lagging behind the national average.

Several bottlenecks hinder disbursement progress, including understaffing in new or merged communes, inconsistent land price tables, and delays in land clearance and compensation agreements. Policy and regulatory adjustments have lagged behind emerging challenges, while cumbersome procedures affect ODA-funded projects. Additionally, organizational weaknesses such as poor coordination and lack of decisiveness among project managers contribute to delays. Adverse weather, including four storms in September, notably Storm No. 10, has caused significant damage that stalled key transport projects.

To meet the 100% disbursement target, the Government demands coordinated and decisive action from all levels. Ministries and localities must enforce government directives, assume responsibility for progress, and adopt best practices from high-performing units. Weekly monitoring and flexible reallocation of funds are emphasized to prevent year-end bottlenecks. Strengthening local government capacity, particularly in land clearance and project management, is critical, alongside timely policy revisions to resolve implementation obstacles and support national and local project execution.