In Vietnam beside economic values, small hydropower plants caused various adverse impacts on the natural environmental (change in hydrological regimes, shortage in water at downstream; erosion; deforestation; damage of biodiversity and biological resources); social conditions and environmental risks. The water regulation of small hydropower plants may significantly contribute in the serious consequences of flooding in the Central Region in months of October, 2020. However, so far, environmental and social impacts and management of this type of energy projects are not properly concerned in project appraisal and management. Therefore, to improve this issue the following best “Environmental and Social Guidelines for Small Hydroelectric Projects, prepared by: Le Trinh (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Env. Sci., Consulting Team Leader, Chief Editor), Vu Ngoc Long (Dr. Ecol. Sci., Tran Quy Suu (MSc., Social Specialist, ADB), Le Quang Huy (MSc., Hydropower Specialist) for Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in November 2016 under REDP (SECO TF098460) are introduced to be applied.
In this paper the present state of the environment in the Middle Focal Economic Zone lasting from Thuathien – Hue to Binhdinh Provinces were briefly described. The main challenges in this zone are the increased water and air pollution, increased lost of natural ecosystems and improper land use planning.
By 2020, Official Section of Communist Party and Government have set up target to improve the capacity of disasters forecasting and climate change monitoring; build up active society in disaster prevention and climate change adaptation; thereby reducing annual loss of people and properties caused by natural disasters.