Participation and GIS

Possibilities and challenges for participatory approaches to

reducing vulnerability to Climate Change in Vietnam

Key questions addressed

• Which data from the project data inventory are useful to include in the G-PIS (GIS-based participatory information systems) for the local community and local authorities in terms of disaster management and vulnerability reduction

• The ways in which the data from the project data inventory can best be processed and presented in terms of usability for the local community and local authorities

• The existing and potential capacity of local authorities and communities in accessing the G-PIS

• The initial response among local community and local authorities to a prototype G-PIS

Methods

• Data was gathered during three field trips comprising approx. 1,5 months fieldwork in all three study sites.

• Qualitative interviews among local authorities and community members and participant observation.

• The research particularly contributes to the work packages concerning PIS (WP6).

GIS

• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is a sophisticated database technology

• GIS adds another dimension – a spatial dimension – to research and practice

• GIS is continuously developing and advancing new ways of working with spatial data, including combining qualitative and quantitative data

GIS and end-users

• The technological aspects of GIS are often overwhelming to end-users

• Its use, therefore, has been primarily limited to those schooled in its capabilities as a technical tool

• This is because GIS has been approached largely as a “mechanical process” and it is only in recent years that there has been increasing attention to “the kinds of critical thinking skills needed to manipulate an easy-to-use GIS interface intelligently” (Goodchild, 2010. “Twenty years of progress: GIScience in 2010.” Journal of Spatial Information Science 1: 15).

Qualitative GIS

• As a result of technological developments “Qualitative GIS has emerged over the last decade as one of the most significant analytical and methodological developments within contemporary geography” (Jones and Evans, 2012, “The spatial transcript: analysing mobilities through qualitative GIS.” Area 44(1): 92–99).

Participatory GIS

• Web-based GIS + local participation

Participation

• Popularized by Robert Chambers e.g. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)

• Multiple meanings• Participatory approaches came to Vietnam in

the beginning of the 1990s (Neef et al. 2013: 325)

• [I will add a bit more here]

Findings: Local experiences of natural hazards

• When asked about recent occurrences of natural hazards, many people explained that 2014 was unusual because there had been no floods or typhoons: many commented that this was the first year they had ever experienced this.

• Only very localized hazards in the form of extreme weather were reported.

• It was still apparent that many people were worried about drought, the early arrival of the cold weather, and ongoing salinization.

Findings: Human-made environmental interventions on flooding

• Apart from climate changes, we detected a high awareness of the impact of human-made environmental interventions on flooding. Floods were believed to be more extreme today than earlier because of:– The upstream felling of the forest, making the water move much faster downstream

during heavy rains. Earlier it would take a few days from the rain started until flooding would begin, whereas today it only takes one day for the water to reach from upstream to downstream and begin flooding the area.

– Another problem mentioned is the extensive sand mining that is taking place along the river, also impacting the flooding situation.

– Furthermore upstream hydropower plants are described as a problem. In Nghe An two hydropower plants in the mountains were mentioned (one of them reportedly in Tuong Duong district). Hydropower plants and irrigation reservoirs cause two problems locally: 1) periodically they have to let out water during heavy rain because of concerns that the dam may break, 2) Water may be stored and diverted so that less water reaches downstream outside the flooding season. One local authority believed this was the main reason why salinity intrusion had become an increasing problem the past 10 years.

Findings: GIS as warning system versus library of information

• “I have some concern about the output of the project. […] I think the most important thing is a warning system, but this function played a minor role in the workshop [the project workshop for local authorities held in December]. Also, since we only have half a day for the workshop, I don’t have much basis for understanding your project, but if everything is as you say, I am concerned that it only provides a library of information. Maybe you can use it for the next generation, but I do not think it is useful now.” (Interview with local authority)

• Almost all local authorities were concerned with getting better warning systems and better means of communication during natural disasters, not least because the electricity is often cut due to the hazard it poses during typhoons and floods. Those local authorities who were positive about PIS mainly highlighted that it would enable a better warning system. However, there seemed to be some misunderstanding among several local government staff as to the nature and potential of the PIS system, since they believed it to be a warning system rather than an information system.

Findings: GIS and weather predictions

• According to some local authorities, when the local people are warned in due time the extreme weather does not turn into a disaster. It is only when extreme weather comes as a surprise that disasters happen.

• In particular, they wished that the present warning system would be more specific for each area: the information they get is too general and therefore not very helpful.

• Furthermore, the weather predictions were criticized for being incorrect. For example, in 2014 when the cold weather started it was predicted that it would only last a few days, but when we carried out our interviews in December, we were told it had lasted one and a half months, which has severe consequences for rice production, aquaculture and livestock. Had they known the cold weather would last so long, they would have covered the rice with plastic, added more water to the ponds and moved the livestock.

Findings: Local responses to weather predictions

• Finally, a few local representatives indicated that the warnings produced by the higher level authorities (the meteorological institute in Hanoi) and sent (by letter) to the provincial level were often somewhat embellished as compared to the daily weather forecasts, making upcoming weather phenomena appear more extreme than needed, with the consequence that the local people began to underestimate the warnings. The danger is that when extreme and unusual weather phenomena eventually occur, the local people may be caught unprepared.

• This is a problem all over the world.

Findings: Use and administration of system

• “The first problem is how to administer this system, the second is how many people can use the system and the third problem is that because this is a warning system, you need to input the data to analyze the information, but who will input the data, the administrator or the people in the local authority? I think the information system is a good idea, especially to enable the administrator to know about climate change, not just simple information like how big is the flood or typhoon, but also how to prepare for that natural disaster.” (Interview with local authority)

Findings: Other similar GIS systems

• In Ha Tinh province the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) were establishing a GIS system similar to ours, including flood maps for Ngan Pho, Ngan Sau, and La river basin. In Quang Binh province JICA has a project called: “Project for Building Disaster Resilient Society in Vietnam Phase II,” which also seems very relevant to what we are doing.

Recommendations based on local input

• 1. Incorporate how the speed and distribution of water is influenced by:

• Upstream felling of the forest • Sand mining• Hydropower plants

• Response from Dr. Thanh [here I suggest you explain to what extent it has been possible to do so]

Recommendations based on local input

• 2. PIS as a warning system– Include localized weather predictions in the PIS

• Response from Dr. Thanh [here I suggest you explain to what extent it has been possible to do so, and the problem of weather predictions ”only” being predictions]

Recommendations based on local input

• 3. How to ensure the sustainability and usability of the system, such as in relation to the input of data?

• [I don’t actually know what to recommend here, this is what I think is the most difficult part of the PIS, do you have some reflections?]

Recommendations based on local input

• 4. Include information on how to prepare for disaster

• Response from dr. Thanh [Here you could maybe mention how the indigenous knowledge on how local communities deal with various natural hazards will be included? Will anything else be included relevant to “how to prepare for disaster”?]

Recommendations based on local input

• 5. Look into other similar systems and whether they can be integrated into/combined with our PIS

• Response from dr. Thanh [what is the status here?]

• Thank you