Supporting the National Hydro-meteorological Service (NHMS) of Vietnam with capacity building in meteorological forecasting and climate change modeling has been identified as the priority needs in the development plan prepared by NHMS in Vietnam. This plan has remained part of the broader ?National Strategy on Climate Change? which has been recently approved by the Prime Minister in August 2011. The plan has given strong attention to the modernization of forecasting early warning of weather and climate extremes. Reflecting this renewed priority set by the Nation Strategy on Climate Change, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) drawing upon it?s wealth of expertise from the region and state of art expertise from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute in Norway (met.no) has formulated timely and demand driven initiatives in Vietnam. This information brief summarizes the project and the concrete project activities that are designed to strengthen the NHMS, Vietnam. The project aims to make systematic attempt for strengthening national capacities to deal with weather related natural disasters, promote advanced methodologies for weather forecasting, dissemination of warnings to users and response at local level. The project is being implemented from June 2012-December 2014. This project is the first component (theme-1) of the broader project titled ?Disaster Risk Reduction Initiatives on National and Regional Level in Asia? which is being implemented by ADPC and financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway. The project focuses on the coastal hazards in Vietnam in particular: storm surge, strong wind and associated tropical cyclone/ typhoon related phenomena. The project has a strong component to build capacity of the National Hydro-Meteorological Services and other partners in end-to-end early warning systems including tropical cyclone/ typhoon.

1. ?Support NHMS in modernization of forecasting weather and climate extremes are given high priority. 2. Assist NHMS in improvements for dissemination of warnings to users to ensure timely and effective response by the at risk communities. 3. Improve the community level response to multi hazard early warning through conduct of demonstration projects in selected most vulnerable communities. 4. Facilitate the process of having an active early warning multi-stakeholder national forum in Vietnam under the leadership of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and NHMS to regularly review and improve early warning system performance for a people-centered, end-to-end multi-hazards based warning mechanism that includes tropical cyclone/ typhoon and associated phenomena.

1. Scoping carried out, gap-priority needs for the overall national early warning systems in Vietnam is assessed and strengthening plan prepared. 2. Capacity of the Vietnam NHMS in user need based meteorological forecasting & ocean modeling on the priority needs are strengthened. 3. Demonstration projects in selected pilot sites on "end-to-end" and downscaled application of early warning and seasonal weather information products developed. 4. EWS information sharing and decision making systems for systematic response facilitated. 5. Stakeholder forums facilitated and early warning dissemination platform grown for sharing advanced knowledge products.

Vietnam