The Forum is a joint initiative of SIUP South and the Megacity Research Project HCMC. It is being implemented based on the assumption that climate change adaptation requires regional coordination and integration. Most climate change impacts concern different sectors and administrative entities at the same time. Also, responses to climate change and development activities of specific sectors or regions influence the magnitude of climate change impacts on other areas. Thus, integrative adaptation efforts on the regional level are required.

Discussions with provincial authorities revealed that administrations of different provinces in the HCMC Metropolitan Region face similar challenges regarding climate change response. This common challenge becomes evident with the ‘action plan to respond to climate change’ which each province is urged to set up. In order to support such activities, a horizontal exchange of views, ideas, strategies and approaches between provinces is considered to be most effective.

The aims of the roundtable can be summarized as follows:

• to support planning institutions in their efforts to set up provincial action plans;
• to exchange of views, ideas, strategies, experiences, and approaches concerning climate change response between province administrations;
• to assess the need for regional coordination in the field of climate change response;
• to discuss climate change impacts and adaptation challenges facing the Ho Chi Minh City Metropolitan Region;
• to identify existing efforts in the field of climate change response in the region;
• to strengthen cooperation and communication across sectors and boundaries.

Gathered were around 30 participants including representatives of the following institutions:

• Departments of Natural Resources and Environment of all provinces in the HCMC Metropolitan Region
• Departments of Construction of all provinces in the HCMC Region
• HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture (DPA)
• HCMC Institute of Development Studies (HIDS)
• Southern Sub-Institute of Urban and Rural Planning (SIUP South)
• Megacity Research Project

• Welcome and Introduction
• Input presentation: Urban development and climate change scenarios
• Discussion: Need for regional coordination and exchange of information
• Statements of provincial representatives: proceeding and problems with the preparation of the provincial Action Plan to Respond to Climate Change
• Discussion: How to set up and implement the Action Plan?
• Input presentation: Building adaptive capacity on the regional level
• Discussion: Reflection on future activities and regional planning efforts