Last updated: June 2024
The frequent and severe floods that many cities in Lao PDR have been experiencing are causing a significant impact on the livelihood of local and vulnerable communities. To address the issues of flood and climate events, the Green Climate Fund has provided funding for the Lao DPR government to initiate the 'Build Resilience of Urban Populations with Ecosystem-Based Solutions in Lao DPR' project. The Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment of Lao, in collaboration with other related departments, universities, and provincial governments, is leading this project. The funding was approved in 2019, and the project is set to conclude by 2025. The project consists of four sub-projects, which will be implemented in four cities, including Paksan, Vientiane, Savannakhet, and Pakse. One of the sub-projects involves rehabilitating the Nong Peung wetland in Paksan city, which currently has no management plan and is negatively impacted by human activities and has been degraded in certain aspects. Natural vegetation has been lost in parts of the wetland, invasive alien plants are encroaching, and the natural water flow has been disrupted in places. The objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive management plan for Nong Peung wetland and implement various nature-based solutions to improve the ecosystem. This will involve removing invasive alien plant species, eliminating human-made barriers that obstruct natural flow, and planting appropriate native species. Currently, the project is in the planning stage with relevant stakeholders to determine the physical implementation site. (Ref.1,2,3)
Nong Peung Wetland
Ref.6
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Effective management
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Strategy, plan or policy development
Project objectives
The main objectives for the overall project include:
1. Reduce flood vulnerability of urban cities in Lao.
2. Shift urban flood management in Lao from limited and hard infrastructure towards an integrated approach that enhances climate resilience.
3. Mainstreaming integrated flood management strategies into planning frameworks and implementing ecosystem-based adaptation(EbA) for flood risk management, which leads to the scaling up and policy recommendations.
From these main objectives, the project set two main approaches including 1. the building of technical and institutional capacity by promoting and sharing knowledge of urban EbA and flood risk among government actors, private sectors and communities; and 2.the rehabilitation and protection of ecosystems in response to climate variability and change.
Nong Peung Wetland project is under the second approach (rehabilitate and protect ecosystem). Specific goals for the Nong Peung Wetland project includes:
1. Rehabilitate the wetland and enhance its biodiversity and ecosystem services.
2. Promote flood reduction by improving its ability to retain and absorb stormwater from intense rainfall events and act as a buffer from river flooding.
3. Conserve and restore habitats for native birds and fish.
4. Maintain services provided to surrounding farming communities while ensuring that the ecosystem and biodiversity of the wetland are preserved.
5. Encourage the participation of local communities and related stakeholders throughout the process.
(Ref.1,2,3)
Implementation activities
To address the main threats to the Nong Peung wetland, a comprehensive wetland management plan is being developed, focusing on three primary challenges, which are encroaching rice farming, excessive withdrawal of water for rice irrigation, and invasive species. The management plan will be created through participatory land-use planning involving local communities and other stakeholders. The first consultation session with government representatives and local communities in Paksan was held in 2021, and the main agenda was to establish a Wetland Management Committee. The wetland assessment is expected to be completed in 2022.
As part of the plan, a Community Wetland Committee will be established in 2022, comprising representatives from the Pak Peung Water User Association, local fishing organizations, the village-level National Women's Union, and surrounding villages. The committee will work closely with local governments and experts to develop a management plan and monitor its implementation.
To restore the ecological functions of the wetland, three primary activities will be undertaken:
1. Removal of invasive alien plants, with particular attention given to Mimosa Piura and Eichhornia crassipes
2. Removal of small human-made barriers that impede natural flow and wetland functioning
3. Restoration of natural vegetation by planting appropriate indigenous plant species, including terrestrial and aquatic plants.
(Ref. 1,2,3)
In addition, permeable paving solutions are also being designed and installed to improve drainage. (Ref. 1)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
- Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Promote environmentally-sound development in and around protected areas
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
- Capacity building
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore native species
- Clear and control invasive alien species
Main beneficiaries
- National-level government
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- National government
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
- Researchers/university
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Taskforce groups
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
UNEP and the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, Lao DPR are the main initiators and main responsible person for this project.
Other project partners includes: Environment Protection Fund, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, National University of Laos and Provincial government of Bolikhamsay.
The Faculty of Forest Science, National University of Lao was assigned as the main responsible person for the development of the wetland management plan and implementation. Along with the Faculty of Forest Science, a Community Wetland Committee will be established to represent local communities and work on the plan and implementation together. The committee includes Pak Peung water user association, local fishing organization, village-level National Women’s Union and people from the surrounding villages.
The main funding is from the Green Climate Fund(GCF) and a small part is co-financing by Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment.
(Ref.1,2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€2,000,000 - €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Multilateral funds/international funding
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased number of species present
- Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
Economic impacts
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
- Other
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Safety
- Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. UNEP(2021),LAO PDR Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Laos PDR 2020-2025 Project Fact Sheet, Available at Source link (Accessed 14-03-2023)
2. UNEP(2019), Building resilience of urban populations with ecosystem- based solutions in Lao PDR Funding Proposal, Available at Source link (Accessed 14-03-2023)
3. UNEP(2022), Building resilience of urban populations with ecosystem-based solutions in Lao PDR Annual Performance Report CY2021, Available at Source link (Accessed 15-03-2023)
4. UNEP(2021), Building resilience of urban populations to climate change with ecosystem-based adaptation in Lao PDR, Available at Source link (Accessed 16-03-2023)
5. UNEP(2021), Building resilience of urban populations with ecosystem-based solutions in Lao PDR Annual Performance Report CY2020, Available at Source link (Accessed 04-04-2023)
6. Miller, J., Baumgartner,L. Homsoumbath, K., Phommavong,T. (2017), Changes in the role and management of wetland commons in the Lao PDR: Elder perspectives from Pak Peung wetland, IASC Conference; 10-15July 2017, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Available at Source link (Accessed 16-03-2023)
2. UNEP(2019), Building resilience of urban populations with ecosystem- based solutions in Lao PDR Funding Proposal, Available at Source link (Accessed 14-03-2023)
3. UNEP(2022), Building resilience of urban populations with ecosystem-based solutions in Lao PDR Annual Performance Report CY2021, Available at Source link (Accessed 15-03-2023)
4. UNEP(2021), Building resilience of urban populations to climate change with ecosystem-based adaptation in Lao PDR, Available at Source link (Accessed 16-03-2023)
5. UNEP(2021), Building resilience of urban populations with ecosystem-based solutions in Lao PDR Annual Performance Report CY2020, Available at Source link (Accessed 04-04-2023)
6. Miller, J., Baumgartner,L. Homsoumbath, K., Phommavong,T. (2017), Changes in the role and management of wetland commons in the Lao PDR: Elder perspectives from Pak Peung wetland, IASC Conference; 10-15July 2017, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Available at Source link (Accessed 16-03-2023)
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the "NBS 2022" UNA Asian extension project funded by the Asia-Europe Foundation.