Vietnam’s ecologically sensitive Mekong Delta is facing increasing threats from fossil gas expansions. All operating gas stations totaling 7.77 GW are located around the Mekong Delta, and about 64% of Vietnam’s gas capacity by 2030 will be around the Mekong Delta. International corporations, including financial institutions and energy companies from the US, Europe, Japan, France, and South Korea, are driving the development of new gas power plants and LNG terminals in the Mekong Delta.
The expansion of gas infrastructure in the Mekong Delta poses a serious risk to biodiversity. The Mekong Delta is a fertile and biodiverse river delta serving as a major agricultural region, accounting for more than half of the total rice production in the country. It is vital to Vietnam’s food security within the region and beyond. It is also home to critically endangered species like the Irrawaddy dolphin.
This briefer is aligned with the campaign called Southeast Asian Voices on Energy Transition in the Mekong Delta (SAVE Mekong Delta). It details Vietnam’s gas expansion plans, their financiers, and the threats they pose to the Mekong Delta.