Vietnam’s Marine Environmental Security: Cross-Border Challenges and Vietnam concept

Background and objective: Since beginning of the 21st century, security in the South China Sea/East Vietnam Sea has emerged as a big problem with degraded maritime environment and serious impacts on the global and regional security and development. Because of territorial disputes and competition among countries, marine environmental security has become an increasingly complicated issue with growing challenges. However, there is no effective coordination mechanism for this problem, thus countries and international organizations must further promote cooperation to make contribution to peace and sustainable development in the South China Sea region. Vietnam is a littoral country in the South China Sea/ East Vietnam Sea with large sea area and 28 coastal provinces and cities. Marine environmental security is closely linked to the development and prosperity of the country. Currently, Vietnam has faced many challenges, such as natural disasters, degraded marine environment, marine plastic waste, sea level rise and many cross-border challenges.Methods: Approaching from the perspective of non-traditional security, especially marine environmental security, on the basis of analyzing the current state of the marine environment, a number of factors and issues raised for Vietnam, for other countries, parties...the author explains the need to raise awareness, develop plans and carry out many actions, especially cooperation between countries and parties to protect the environment.Results: Environmental security in the South China Sea is facing challenges such as natural disasters, marine environmental degradation, loss of ecosystems and biodiversity, ocean plastic waste, rising sea levels and many more. Transboundary environmental issues, Marine environmental security is affected by many factors such as climate change, natural disasters, etc., but the "man-made" factor - caused by humans accounts for more. Peace and security in the South China Sea are common interests of the region and the world. South China Sea security is complex and multi-layered, with unpredictable developments. Vietnam is making efforts to address the challenges of marine environmental security, however, cross-border challenges are bigger. Marine environmental security requires cooperation from countries, international and regional organizations.Conclusion: Vietnam is proactively and actively addressing marine environmental security challenges, participating in international cooperation to resolve marine environmental security issues. Marine Environmental Security in South China Sea is required that all parties raise their awareness and actively take action towards sustainable development. Establishing the South China Sea Environmental Security Forum chaired by the United Nations or ASEAN is an urgent need.