Awareness raising on Climate change and Ecosystem-based Adaptation for local coastal communities

Being located along the coastal line seriously exposes local people to natural hazards such as storms, floods, whirlwinds, sand-moving, river and sea bank erosion and salinity intrusion. The majority of populations in coastal areas is poor and has limited knowledge about climate change impacts. In 2016-2017, over 20 training courses were conducted for more than 1200 people from 10 coastal villages and local staff to provide practical knowledge and information on (ecosystem-based) adaptation to climate change, aiming to strengthen their understanding and their adaptive capacity towards impacts of climate change. During the training, local people had the chance to learn about climate change and project impacts in their region and globally, to discuss their challenges and worked out potential adaptation measures together. In addition, awareness raising on climate change was also conducted for about 300 pupils and teachers in primary and secondary schools in Ngu Thuy Nam commune. Participating in a picture drawing contest run under the title “Climate change in your home-village’’ increased their understanding on climate change issues and adaptation measures that they could contribute.

- Training materials were prepared in a simple manner which made it easy for local people to understand: photos, leaflets, videos…

- Creating opportunities for local people to identify their challenges and to discuss potential adaptation measures that their community could carry out

- Active involvement of local authorities in the activities

- Mobilising participation of young generations, such as youth unions and students is a key success factor due to the important role they play in the action plan for responding to CC impacts in the area

- Tangible examples/good practices on climate change impacts and EbA measures help local people and staff to get a better understanding about adaptation measures and their benefits.

-  Taking challenges of local communities as entry points for the training's content

- Support and active involvement of the local authorities definitely increased the success of the activity

- Adaptation plans of communities need to be supported and followed up to ensure their sustainability