Living with the Mekong

The delta of the Mekong River is one of the most threatened delta areas in the world. As a result of climate change, the country is plagued by more rain, more floods and salinisation of the lower reaches of the river. In this book, architect Joep Janssen gives a personal account of how Vietnam and the Vietnamese people cope with the consequences of climate change. He travelled through the country and met farmers and urban inhabitants. Joep Janssen analyses the influence of the rapid economic developments on water management. He interviewed Dutch engineers who are involved in plans for improved coastal defence. He compares the Mekong Delta to other deltas such as in Jakarta and the Nile in Egypt. And in a historical analysis he shows how the development of the city and its architecture have been influenced by French colonials as well as the canal ring of Amsterdam.
This book illustrates the dangers that delta areas in the world are facing. However, portraits of inhabitants of the Mekong Delta also show how people in their own environment take initiatives to survive and benefit from the rising waters.
 
 
Published with financial support of EFL Stichting, Stimuleringfonds Creatieve Industrie, Ministerie I&M