Location, Time, Methodology and Research Methods

from climate change as well as unsustainable development in three coastal communes of Ben Tre province. The assessment was conducted in two main steps:

Bottom-up assessment: identifying threats from natural and human development activities to key ecosystems and dependent livelihoods. Workshops, meetings and surveys were conducted in three communes with the objectives of: i) identifying key ecosystems and ecosystem services as well as socio-economics; ii) discussing and assessing the level of livelihood dependence of communities on ecosystems, and iii) identifying current pressures from climate and human activities on ecosystems and dependent livelihoods.

Top-down assessment: identifying development goals as well as future climate change projections in the study area. Preliminary data collection was conducted to identify and assess: i) The current institutional and policy context related to climate change adaptation; and ii) climate projection trends in Ben Tre province as well as socio-economic development goals in the three study communes.

CARE International Vietnam has also applied the CVCA method to analyze the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of a mountainous community in Dong Thang commune, Lang Son province. This method includes policy analysis, interviews with local leaders, and community consultation through a series of participatory discussions of representative groups. The research results show that the limitations of lack of access to basic services and limited participation in the decision-making process affect their lives and livelihoods. Another study by Tran Huu Hao [2011] also applied the CVCA method in studying vulnerability and adaptive capacity of a mountainous community, mainly focusing on analyzing impacts and adaptation solutions, but lacking analysis of vulnerability and the causes of the problem.

In general, existing TDBTT studies in Vietnam mainly focus on studying impacts and identifying vulnerabilities at the level of communities living in delta and coastal areas. There is a lack of comprehensive studies at the level of urban areas, especially mountainous urban areas.

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Therefore, this research topic was chosen to be conducted in Lao Cai city, a mountainous urban area in the North.

CHAPTER 2. LOCATION, TIME, METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH METHODS

2.1. Research location

2.1.1.Lao Cai City, Lao Cai Province

a) Natural conditions:

Lao Cai City (Lao Cai City) is the political and cultural center of Lao Cai Province - a mountainous province located in the Northwest of Vietnam. The city borders China to the North, lies on both sides of the Red River, with geographical coordinates from 22 0 25' to 25 0 30' North latitude and from 103 0 37' to 104 0 22' East longitude.

Figure 2.1. Location map of Lao Cai City and Cam Duong commune

Lao Cai city is located in the bottom of the Red River valley, bordered by two ancient mountain ranges Con Voi and Hoang Lien Son running parallel. The terrain is divided into small streams and streams between the hills, sloping along

from Northwest to East with 3 main types of terrain: Hilly terrain with an average slope of about 12 0, mainly concentrated in Ta Phoi and Hop Thanh communes, partly in Van Hoa and Dong Tuyen communes; Low terrain, average slope from 6 0 - 9 0 , located along the Red River and between the hills, mainly in the inner city wards and Cam Duong communes, partly in Van Hoa and Dong Tuyen communes; Alluvial terrain along the river, narrow area, only distributed along the Red River and the end of Ngoi Dum.

Lao Cai city has a subtropical monsoon climate, divided into two distinct seasons: the rainy season from April to September and the dry season from October to March of the following year. Due to its location deep inland, the city is rarely directly affected by storms, but is mainly affected by storm circulation. Storm circulation often causes moderate to heavy rain lasting 2-3 days, causing large floods, creating strong currents on rivers and streams, increasing soil erosion, affecting agricultural production, tourism and people's lives.

b) Situation and trends of socio-economic development and environment

Currently, Lao Cai city has a basic technical infrastructure system that meets the criteria of a type II urban area. The city is in the stage of continuing to invest and develop towards building a type I urban area after 2020 with infrastructure.

Economy

The economic structure of Lao Cai city has a major shift towards increasing the proportion of industry and construction, and decreasing the proportion of agriculture, forestry and fishery. The average economic growth rate in the period 2005 - 2010 reached 13.5%. Of which, agriculture, forestry and fishery increased by 3.78%, industry - construction increased by 13.58% and services increased by 14.54%.

Industry and handicrafts: Industry has maintained a fairly high growth rate, with 590 industrial and handicraft establishments in the area. Industrial activities focus on mining, mineral processing, fertilizer production, chemicals, and hydropower.

Figure 2.2. Economic development structure in 2005 (left) and 2010 (right)

Mining sites and mineral exploitation activities in the city.

Apatite ore: the city has the largest Apatite mine in the country, with reserves of 1.4 billion tons, with a planned exploitation and production area of hundreds of hectares concentrated in the communes of Ta Phoi, Cam Duong, and Dong Tuyen.

Nam Thi graphite mine has reserves of 25.5 million tons.

Feldspar and kaolin mine with reserves of over 2 million tons in Van Hoa.

Iron ore: reserves of 750,000 tons, distributed in Kip Tuoc village, Nam Ria, Hop Thanh commune.

Copper ore: concentrated in Phoi village, Ta Phoi commune

Minerals used as construction materials include limestone, clay, sand and gravel in the Red River, Nam Thi River and Ngoi Dum stream areas.

 Mineral water: There is 1 point in group 23, Binh Minh ward being surveyed and evaluated for reserves and quality .

Trade and services: The city currently has over 8,000 trade and service establishments, an increase of nearly 1.5 times compared to 2005. The average number of tourists increases by 13.5% per year. Financial services, banking, post and telecommunications, hotels, restaurants and market systems are well developed, basically meeting the demand. Border gate economy continues to affirm its role as a driving force, creating a budget revenue source that increases by an average of 32% per year.

Population, labor, employment and income

Lao Cai city has 17 communes and wards. There are 21 ethnic groups living together in the city, mainly Kinh, Tay, Mong, Dao, Giay, Nung, Hoa...

Figure 2.3. Ethnic chart of Lao Cai city in 2014

Lao Cai city's population has increased dramatically in recent years. In the period of re-establishment of the province (before 1990), the old Cam Duong town had a total population of less than 10,000 people, but now (2010) the city's population has reached

102,000 people, increased to 132,000 people in 2014. Population density is 444 people/km 2 ,

Concentrated mainly in inner-city wards (accounting for 73%) such as Kim Tan; Pho Moi; Duyen Hai; Coc Leu; Pom Han; Bac Cuong.

Average income: in 2005 it reached 7.95 million VND/person/year and in 2010 it reached 22.75 million VND/person/year (2.68 times higher than in 2005). This income level is equivalent to 137% of the average income of the whole country. The number of poor households in inner-city areas decreased from 9.89% in 2005 to 1% in 2010; in rural areas it decreased from 31% to 8%.

Urban transport development

Lao Cai City is an area with an important position in the socio-economic development corridor, the transportation system has developed rapidly. From the starting point of only 2 national highways (4E, 4D) when the province was re-established, up to now there are 03 national highways passing through (National Highway 70; 4E; 4D); Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway; 03 traffic routes

provincial roads; 209 inner-city traffic routes; 172.2 km of rural roads. However, in recent times, traffic routes in the area have been under great pressure from mineral transportation activities with heavy loads. Many upgraded roads have not kept up with the deterioration, affecting traffic on some streets in the area (National Highway 4E, Nguyen Hue Street...).

There are 2 railway lines in the area. The Hanoi - Lao Cai - Yunnan (China) international railway runs 10km through the city. In the future, Lao Cai International Station will be the station connecting railway traffic with the railways of Southeast Asia (China - Vietnam - Cambodia - Laos - Thailand ).

Industrial and handicraft production activities have mostly been planned in Bac Duyen Hai Industrial Park and Dong Pho Moi Industrial Park.

Land use planning

According to the 2010 land inventory results, the city has a total natural area of 22,967.2 hectares, accounting for 2.85% of the province's area. Of which, the land area currently used for various purposes is 18,547.86 hectares, accounting for 80.75%. Agricultural land in use is 13,668.9 hectares (59.5%), concentrated in some communes and wards such as Hop Thanh (2,033 hectares), Van Hoa (1,614 hectares), Ta Phoi (5,734 hectares). Non-agricultural land area is 4,879 hectares (21.24%): Land for industrial parks is 154.09 hectares (0.67%), distributed in Van Hoa 42.39 hectares, Pho Moi 54.94 hectares and Duyen Hai 56.76 hectares; Mineral activities have 1,239.41 ha (5.40%), distributed in Bac Cuong ward (236.09 ha), Cam Duong (269.93 ha), Dong Tuyen (392.01 ha), and Nam Cuong (121.97 ha); infrastructure development: 1,586.62 ha (6.91%). The planned area for expanding Lao Cai city by 2030 is 31,170 ha (expanded by 8,203 ha).

The topic of the study selected Cam Duong commune for evaluation for the following reasons: (1) As a suburban area in the process of accelerating urbanization, approaching and integrating climate change into planning orientations and socio-economic development plans is very necessary to contribute to sustainable urban development and help localities have an overall view right from the planning and urbanization stages; (2) Cam Duong commune has many types of terrain, representing different terrains in the city, influenced by hydrological basins of Ngoi Duong Stream, this is the main stream that directly affects

The city is also the locality with the largest vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change in the country, especially flash floods and landslides; (3) representing community groups and systems that are affected differently in the context of climate change (urban community groups with business and trade as their livelihoods, agricultural production groups with agricultural production as their main livelihoods; urban and agricultural systems). Different community groups and systems will be affected differently by climate change and make different TDBTT;

(4) The area is most affected by mineral exploitation activities in the area, contributing to increasing factors affecting the resilience of infrastructure and vulnerable objects to climate change.

2.1.2 Cam Duong Commune - Lao Cai City

a) Natural conditions:

Cam Duong Commune is located in the South of the city, with a natural area of 1,544 hectares, with the following administrative boundaries:

- East borders Thong Nhat ward

- The West borders Ta Phoi commune and Hop Thanh commune

- South borders Bao Thang district

Figure 2.4. Planning map of Cam Duong commune

- The North borders Nam Cuong ward, Bac Lenh ward, Pom Han ward and Binh Minh ward. The commune is located in a high terrain area, in the Red River valley. The terrain tends to gradually slope down in the Northwest - Southeast direction, with an average height of 75m to 100m above sea level, an average slope of about 12 0 , the steepest place is from 18 0 to 24 0 ; the place with the lowest slope is located along the river.

Pink.

Crossing the commune is the 3km long Duong stream, most of the people practice agriculture around the banks of these two streams. In addition, in the commune, there are many streams and hollows that collect water into the stream. This is also the main cause of increased vulnerability to climate change in the area.

b) Socio-economic conditions:

Figure 2.4. Economic structure of Cam Duong commune, Lao Cai city in 2014

Cam Duong commune is gradually shifting its agricultural and forestry economic structure towards the production of high-value goods. The average GDP growth rate in the period 2006 - 2010 reached 21%. In the period 2011 to present, it is about 24%. The commune has

recognized as completing the new rural area. Although the rural economy has developed, the economic structure has shifted towards increasing the proportion of services and industry - handicrafts, but it is still slow, the proportion of agriculture still accounts for a high proportion.

In agricultural production, Cam Duong has boldly expanded intensive aquaculture models on the basis of converting inefficient rice fields, combining safe vegetable and high-quality flower cultivation to create products with competitive value in the market, thereby continuously improving the income of farmers.

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