Overview

          The Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IMHEN) is a governmental, research and implementation institution under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) of Vietnam. IMHEN was established in 1977 and over the past 30 years, it has developed into one of the leading research institutes in Vietnam in conducting application research in the field of meteorology, hydrology, oceanography and the environment. IMHEN has been registered with the Ministry of Science and Technology for its R&D activities. With more than 100 qualified researchers, not to mention hundreds of scientific collaborators, who are experienced scientists and researchers in Vietnam, IMHEN, apart from the above mentioned research activities, can provide postgraduate education and training programmes, consultations and services, especially in climate variability and climate change.

IMHEN has been involved in a large number of studies and researches covering both basic and theoretical research, as well as scientific and technological applications. IMHEN's climate related studies include: climate change processes and modeling, Southeast Asian Monsoon, climate change and sea level rise scenarios, climate change impact assessments, climate risk reduction studies, and so on. To meet the demand of the country’s socio-economic development, IMHEN has also conducted and participated in sustainable development activities with specifically designed programmes such as climate change impact assessment on agriculture, water resources, and coastal zones.

Researchers and staff IMHEN played an important role in preparing Vietnam’s Initial Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2003; the National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change in 2008 and the Climate Change, Sea Level Rise Scenarios for Vietnam in 2009.

IMHEN has excellent expertise and experience in the following fields:

- Tropical meteorology, climatology, atmospheric physics, applied meteorology and climatology, meteorological and climate prediction, and climate change;

- Agricultural meteorology and eco-environment, agro-meteorological prediction, meteorology for livestock, aquaculture and pest-disease management;

- Agro-meteorological experimental stations for Red River and Mekong River Deltas;

- Oceanology, ocean circulation, atmospheric-ocean interaction;

- Coastal hydrodynamical and sedimentation processes, coastal protection measures, salt water intrusion in the surface and ground water in the coastal area;

- Applied hydrology, hydrological prediction, water resources assessment and planning, deltaic hydrology and estuary;

- Ecological system in the ocean and coastal areas, mangrove forests;

- Hydro-meteorological and environmental measurement automation, information technology and system management, remote sensing and GIS;

- Environmental management, environmental engineering, environmental impact and risk assessment, environmental prediction, environmental stations.

2. Climate change related activities

Climate change related activites which have been implemented by IMHEN include:

- Climate Change, Sea Level Rise Scenarios for Vietnam in 2009;

- National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change in 2008;

- Vietnam Initial National Communication in 2003 funded by GEF/UNEP;

- Project ‘Strengthening National Capacities to Respond to Climate Change in Viet Nam, Reducing Vulnerability and Controlling GHG Emissions’ funded by UNDP;

- Project ‘Sea Water Level Rise Scenarios and Possible Disaster Risk Reduction in Vietnam’ funded by DANIDA;

- Project “Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources and  Adaptation Measures’ funded by DANIDA;

- Project ‘Benefits on Climate Change Adaptation from Small and Medium Scale Hydropower Plants: Synergies and Trade-offs with Rural Development’ funded by DANIDA;

- Project ‘Climate Change and Disaster Check of Danish Sector Programme’ in Viet Nam;

- Vietnam National  Strategy  Study  on  Clean  Development  Mechanism funded by the World Bank;

- Climate Change Impacts in Huong River Basin and Adaptation in its Coastal District Phu Vang, Thua Thien Hue Province funded by the Netherlands;

- Economics of GHG Limitation, Phase 1: Establishment of a Methodological Framework for CC Mitigation Assessment funded by GEF/UNEP;

- Asia Least - Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategy (ALGAS) Project in 1995-1997 funded by UNDP/GEF/ADB;

- Climate Change in Asia: Vietnam funded by ADB;

- CC: TRAIN (Phase 1) funded by UNDP/UNITAR/GEF;

- Project ‘Vietnam Coastal Zone Vulnerability Assessment’ funded by the Netherlands; and

- Project ‘Preparedness for Disasters Related to Climate Change’ funded by the Netherlands Red Cross;

In 2010, IMHEN successfully hosted the first meeting of the Vietnam-US Working Group on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (WGCC) with subcommittees set up.

In 2010 and 2011, IMHEN continues to implement the following climate change related activities, including:

- Nine projects under the coverage of the National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change;

- The National Scientific and Technological Programme on Climate Change; and

- Other projects and programmes within the National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change.

IMHEN has cooperated with partners in Finland, Japan, Norway and the Republic of Korea to develop climate change related project proposals to apply for grants and ODA from these countries.

3. International co-operation in climate change

Over the past years, IMHEN has established and promoted its international co-operation with the such organisations, institutions as WMO, UNDP, GEF, ADB, UNEP, UNFCCC, World Bank, and IHP/UNESCO.

IMHEN has signed bilateral cooperation agreements, memoranda of understanding, with institutions and agencies in Australia, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Lao PDR, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea and the US.

It has also cooperated with other partners in the Russian Federation, Sweden, Thailand in conducting joint research activities.