Vietnam leads the region in planned capacity of fossil gas – a potent greenhouse gas that can cause health and environmental issues.
Much of this gas infrastructure will be centered around the Mekong Delta, an ecosystem that sustains life not only in Vietnam but in the whole Southeast Asia.
The Mekong Delta is one of the largest and most fertile deltas in the world. It is an important food basket for Southeast Asia. It also hosts critically endangered species like the Irrawaddy dolphin.
The massive buildout of fossil gas infrastructure in the Mekong Delta threatens this vital ecosystem – and the health and livelihoods of Southeast Asians.
The Southeast Asian Voices on Energy Transition in the Mekong Delta (SAVE Mekong Delta) is a Southeast Asian-led campaign pushing against fossil gas expansion in Vietnam, centered in the Mekong Delta.
The Mekong River is the world’s most productive river, producing 25% of the world’s inland catch
The Delta serves as the migration route for at least 61 diadromous fish species or fishes that migrate between fresh and marine waters
The delta supports a population of 18 million people, mostly living through agriculture and aquaculture
Climate change threatens to flood 39% of the delta from sea level rise, displacing up to 1 million people
Vietnam leads the region in planned gas infrastructure:
64% of Vietnam’s gas capacity by 2030 will be located around the Mekong Delta:
The Mekong Delta also hosts Vietnam’s major pipelines that carry gas from its largest fields:
| Project | Status | Total (GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Son My Power Station | Pre-construction | 4.5 |
| Phu My Power Station | Operating | 4.007 |
| O Mon Power Station | Operating/ Pre-construction | 3.81 |
| Bac Lieu Power Station | Pre-construction | 3.2 |
| Long An Power Station | Announced | 3.0 |
| Nhon Trach Power Station | Operating/ Pre-construction | 2.839 |
| Hiep Phuoc Power Station | Pre-construction | 1.575 |
| Ca Mau Power Station | Operating | 1.5 |
| Long Son Power Station | Announced | 1.5 |
| Ba Ria Power Station | Operating | 0.389 |
The Block B-O Mon Gas-To-Power Chain will be the longest of its kind in Vietnam, with a total length of 431 kilometers, including 329 km undersea and 102 km onshore. When completed, it will transport fossil gas from Block B to the O Mon Power Complex with a designated capacity of 18.3 million cubic meters per day. The pipeline is not yet in operation but is planned to operate until 2049.
One of the largest LNG project chains in Vietnam, the Son My Gas-to-Power Project Chain will import up to 10 million metric tons per annum and produce 4.5 GW of electricity using LNG once completed. It is located in Binh Thuan Province, which is considered as a National Energy Center for having the highest solar and wind potential in Vietnam.
The Long An Power Station is a 3000-MW gas power station located in Phuoc Vinh Dong, Can Giuoc, Long An, on the west bank of the Nha Be River, a river that empties into Ganh Rai Bay, where the mouth of the Mekong River is also located. It is Vietnam’s first approved conversion from a coal-fired power plant to an LNG-fired power plant.
Fossil gas plants emit carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), associated with cancer, as well as respiratory, heart, reproductive, and mental health diseases.
Vietnam already has the 22nd-worst air pollution in the world, as of 2024.
The sulfur dioxide emitted from fossil gas plants cause acid rain, acidifying farmlands and rivers and affecting the health of crops and fishes. Mercury is bioaccumulated, endangering the health of people who consume mercury-laden produce.
The Mekong Delta produces much of Vietnam’s agricultural output: 95% of rice and 60% of Vietnam’s fish exports. The delta is also a spawning ground for fishes that populate the whole river.
The Mekong Delta is home to critically endangered species like the Irrawaddy dolphin, as well as some of the largest freshwater fishes – the Mekong Freshwater Stingray and the Mekong Giant Catfish. Up to one-fifth of Mekong fish species already face extinction.
Aside from the toxic chemicals emitted by gas plants, warm water discharged by gas plants also disrupts spawning grounds and vulnerable habitats along the river.
Vietnam’s gas-centric energy plan – the Power Development Plan 8 (PDP8) – is a reflection of the silenced voices of Vietnamese climate defenders like Nguy Thi Khanh, Dang Dinh Bach, Mai Phan Loi, Bach Hung Duong, Hoang Thi Minh Hong, and Ngo Thi To Nhien. They have been imprisoned for trumped-up charges like tax evasion and subjected to closed-door trials.
Their arrests have created a chilling effect on Vietnamese groups who work on climate issues.
As it stands, Vietnam is already the fourth-largest coal emitter in Asia behind China, India, and Japan, overtaking South Korea. The 44.8 GW gas capacity that Vietnam plans to install is additional to Vietnam’s coal capacity. With methane being 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, the gas-centric PDP8 pushes Vietnam farther from its decarbonization commitments.
Vietnam is already among the top 10 most climate-risked countries. The Mekong Delta is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world, with the threat of floods, droughts, and storms.
BAKU, Azerbaijan – At the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), environmental groups launched the SAVE Mekong Delta
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
Southeast Asian and international organizations highlighted the human rights issues committed against climate defenders in Vietnam and called for financiers to stop supporting gas expansion