Vietnam is a beautiful country on the outside, but a far more deadly issue is happening underneath the surface, this is Vietnam’s environment. Over the past century, Vietnam has witnessed problem after problem relating to the Vietnamese environment. One of these is in the form of rapid population growth
Population and the Environment
Rapid population growth has caused forest exploitation and depletion of water resources. An example of this is seen in the north-west region of Vietnam (Ky Son District). The population size of the Kinh people is increasing at a very fast rate. The increasing Kinh population has caused a great strain on the arable land available for agriculture. Not only in this region of Vietnam, but in many agricultural communities around Vietnam, the slash and burn technique is adopted. This, as well as not letting the land recover is causing shortening of the land rotation cycle, which results in extensive deforestation, soil degradation and erosion.
Note- All crops have been salvaged and the remains are burnt.
Note- The poor quality of land after the slash and burn technique has been used
Deforestation and the Environment
Deforestation is a major issue faced by Vietnam. Deforestation has had a major, yet negative effect on the environment, with native fauna and flora becoming extinct. For example, in 1944, forest covered 43% of Vietnam whereas, in 2004 it covered only 30%. This reduction in the amount of forest cover in Vietnam has also resulted in an increase in pollution levels in the country, mainly because there are less trees to take in and store the carbon from the emissions. The expansion in the economy and the government’s need to keep growing has caused deforestation in many parts of Vietnam as well. Vietnam’s economy grows due to foreign investment into infrastructure and industries, such as tourist hot spots and health care. This is because, foreign investors use the Vietnamese labourers as staff for their industries, and when these staff members get payed by the foreign investors, they are taxed on their wages, this taxable money is then readily available for the government. The constant increase in foreign investors into the country, while good for the economy, can cause deforestation, due to land-clearing for buildings, pollution from industrial hot-spots, erosion due to poor land cycles and poor land quality. Each year, natural forest cover is destroyed by illegal deforestation and forest fires. Because of past deforestation and illegal hunting, many species of fauna and flora have disappeared, and many more species will become extinct in the future.
Note- Extent to which the forest has been destroyed and pollution in the sky
Pollution
Pollution has become both a major urban and rural issue in Vietnam. The increase in Vietnam’s pollution is due to the increase in foreign industries in Vietnam those of which are setting up industrial zones that cause huge amounts of smoke and other sediment that enters the air. Rapid industrialization is polluting Vietnam’s air with Hanoi alone having around 300 industrial enterprises and many industrial zones that have old sewerage and drainage systems. An example of the amount of pollution caused by factories and other industrial systems is shown below.
Note- Large amount of smoke coming out of the factory as well as the orange sunset sky indicating high levels of smog/pollution.
Pollution in Vietnam is also due to deforestation. Vietnam’s dense jungles and forests hold millions of tons of carbon collected over time. When these forests are cut down and the trees burnt, all this stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, causing an increase in the amount of airborn pollution. So basically, industrial zones cause deforestation which causes pollution, and cause pollution directly by releasing smoke into the atmosphere.
What is being done to help?
The Vietnamese government established the Environmental Law at the end of 1993 which helped establish initiatives. These initiatives are helping make the vast population aware of the issues facing them in terms of the environment, as well as teaching how to help the environment recover. These include replanting programs and slowing the land use cycle.
Change is Vietnam 