Vietnam's Largest City Faces Losing Its Mangrove Shield to Coastal Development

WHO:

ABC News World - The mangrove forest protects Ho Chi Minh City.

ABC News Business - The mangrove forest protects Ho Chi Minh City.

WHAT:

ABC News World - Coastal construction projects are putting the mangrove forest at risk.

ABC News Business - Coastal construction projects are threatening the mangrove forest.

WHERE:

ABC News World - The mangrove forest lies between Ho Chi Minh City and rising seas.

ABC News Business - The mangrove forest lies between Ho Chi Minh City and rising seas.

WHY:

ABC News World - The forest stands between Ho Chi Minh City and rising seas, protecting the city.

ABC News Business - The forest stands between Ho Chi Minh City and rising seas, protecting the city.

(UPDATED October 22, 2026 06:02 UTC)

A mangrove forest is helping shield Ho Chi Minh City from rising seas, but coastal construction projects are putting that protection at risk. The forest lies between the city and the water, forming a natural barrier along the coast. Its trees and roots help protect the urban area from the effects of rising seas. Now, development along the coast is threatening the mangroves that provide that defense. The risk is not only to the forest itself, but also to the protective role it plays for the city. As construction projects move forward, the mangrove belt stands at the center of a tension between coastal development and the natural barrier guarding Ho Chi Minh City.