Coastal construction threaten mangrove forest that protects Vietnam's biggest city

CAN GIO, Vietnam -- Mangrove forests, a vital buffer between Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and an increasingly volatile sea, are at risk as the country's financial capital expands and construction reshapes its coastline.For generations, a dense tangle of mangrove trees has shielded the city as rising temperatures due to climate change intensified storms and flooding. Their roots knit the coastline together, sheltering marine life and fish and absorbing carbon emissions. Scientists warn that construction of Can Gio, a new seaside city, along with a major port, roads, bridges and a 14-km (9-mile) sea-crossing route between Can Gio and the port city of Vung Tau, could disrupt water flows that sustain the mangroves, weakening a natural defense for the city of 10 million.Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable cities. About 80% of its area is vulnerable to flooding, a 2026 study by Vietnamese scientists found. Even now, the government estimates that rising seawater costs the city about $57 million a year. In 2025, record downpours and the highest tides in its history flooded streets and homes.The mangroves in Can Gio nearly died out during ...