Adapting to Sea Level Rise in 21st-Century Vietnam: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Protection or Relocation

Sea level rise (SLR) is an inevitable consequence of climate change, making it essential to evaluate the costs of adaptation. This study assesses the costs of protection and relocation as SLR adaptation strategies in Vietnam, at both the national and provincial levels. The results show that the total cost of relocation can be up to 1.6 times higher than that of protection. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) indicates that, at the national level, protection is more effective than relocation as an adaptation strategy. However, at the provincial level, protection proves more effective in the Mekong River Delta (MRD), Red River Delta (RRD), and the Southeast region. In contrast, relocation appears to be more effective in the central coastal provinces. These findings highlight the complexity of assessing adaptation effectiveness and suggest the need for future adaptation planning that considers differences across spatial scales.