Enhancing resilient COastal social-ecological systems through citizen participation in URbanization and BIOdiversity monitoring (COURBIO)

Summary

COURBIO aims to promote sustainable socio-ecological systems in Vietnam’s coastal cities. As Vietnam strategically shifts from land-based activities to a maritime economy, its coastal provinces are experiencing rapid urban growth. However, the absence of specialized planning frameworks has resulted in excessive concretization and the degradation of critical ecosystem services, undermining long-term climate resilience. The project’s primary objective is to develop and deliver methods and tools that integrate biodiversity and social dimensions into urban planning.

COURBIO employs a “nested” analytical approach that synthesizes data across two spatial scales. At the macro scale, the project monitors urbanization patterns and ecosystem typologies across 54 coastal cities using high-resolution remote sensing and machine learning. At the micro scale, in-depth analysis focuses on two case study cities representing different development trajectories: Hải Phòng, a mature and saturated city, and Kỳ Anh, an emerging city driven by port expansion.

The project is structured around four interconnected results. R1 is institutional strengthening via a permanent multidisciplinary core of expertise at Vietnam National University (VNU) establishment and three PhD trainings. R2 focuses on knowledge production that generates a scientific baseline by assessing the impact of urbanization on biodiversity. In R3, community engagement will mobilize residents and schools to bridge science and society through citizen science alongside social surveys to capture communities’ perceptions and values. Finally, collaborative policy development in R4 will translate scientific and social data into governance tools, including a “Green Infrastructure Guidebook” and policy briefs. These outputs will be co-produced through a Working Group of decision-makers and multi-stakeholder dialogues to ensure recommendations are both evidence-based and administratively viable.

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