Livelihood Vulnerability Due to Climate Change: The Case of the Khmer Community in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

In the context of international globalization and integration, there are both opportunities and challenges in the development of the Mekong Delta since this region is sensitive to changes in nature. The magnitude of climate change, sea-level rises, saltwater intrusion, and coastal erosion is more significant than forecasts suggested, leading to extreme weather events and affecting human lives. The negative impacts of climate change have caused serious damage to the livelihoods of households, especially for the Khmer ethnic people. The present study was conducted in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A total of 426 respondents were surveyed through structured questionnaires in Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, and Kien Giang provinces. The data were analyzed using the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) with equal weighting and unequal weighting through principal component analysis (PCA). Based on the results, the livelihood vulnerability of Khmer households due to climate change in the Mekong Delta can be categorized as vulnerable or moderate. Depending on the LVI or the LVI by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (LVI-IPCC) approach and the calculation method used, the level of vulnerability was found to vary among localities. Typically, Khmer households in Kien Giang had the highest level of LVI vulnerability when using equal weights, whereas Tra Vinh had the highest level of LVI vulnerability and was classified as very vulnerable when using equal weight. In addition, the results using PCA weights showed that livelihood strategies, well-being, and environmental shocks are important contributors to the livelihood vulnerability of Khmer households. Our findings suggest that government policies should involve local organizations and enterprises to improve the living standards and sustainable livelihoods of Khmer households. � Common Ground Research Networks, Nguyen Thi Thuy Loan, Diep Thanh Tung, All Rights Reserved.