ABSTRACT
Environmental change, set against a backdrop of pronounced societal trends over coming decades, will undoubtedly test the resilience of Vietnamese society. This final chapter considers particular challenges that Vietnam faces during the early twenty-first century. Drawing on the discussion presented in this book, we consider how emerging trends might affect levels of vulnerability and resilience, taking as examples three particular threats and opportunities resulting from national and international processes, and draw out implications for policy. We consider, first, the impact of globalisation on Vietnam and its environment. We then examine the spatial dimension of the development process within Vietnam, focusing on poverty, patterns of economic growth and population distribution. Finally, we discuss the land allocation process and the consequent trends in access to resources which, as has been argued in many places in this volume, shape patterns of vulnerability and resilience. In the concluding section, we identify three key issues that must be given serious consideration if sustainable and equitable development is to be secured.
