LAUNCH OF THE GREEN BOOK: CLIMATE CHANGE, HEALTH, AND THE LIVES OF OUTDOOR WORKERS IN URBAN VIET NAM

SLO – The SocialLife Research Institute has just published the GREEN BOOK – its annual research report co-edited by Nguyen Duc Loc and Vu Ngoc Anh, along with their colleagues. The book was published by the Vietnam Women’s Publishing House.

The Green Book – Annual Research Report. Source: SocialLife

The Green Book is launched at a time of growing urgency, as climate change has shifted from a distant threat to a daily reality shaping life in Viet Nam’s cities. Extreme heat, unpredictable storms, flooding, and worsening air pollution are placing increasing pressure on outdoor workers — those who sustain urban life yet remain largely absent from climate, health, and social protection debates.

The Green Book forms part of a Wellcome-funded research project led by NatCen (UK), in partnership with the SocialLife Research Institute (Viet Nam), the Vietnam Medical Association, LIGHT Institute for Community Health Development, and the University of Bristol (UK). The Green Book itself is developed by SocialLife Research Institute, the project’s local partner, drawing on research carried out in Ha Noi, Da Nang, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.

Drawing on fieldwork conducted throughout 2024 in Ha Noi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho, the research combines survey data from 400 outdoor workers with in-depth qualitative engagement. The findings highlight serious health and economic impacts: over a quarter of participants reported respiratory problems, nearly one in five experienced heat-related illnesses, and almost three-quarters suffered income losses due to extreme weather. These risks are exacerbated by long working hours, exposure during peak heat, and limited access to social protection.

At the core of the Green Book is a co-creation approach to knowledge production. Outdoor workers were not treated as passive research subjects, but as active contributors shaping the study. Their lived experiences, coping strategies, and aspirations for dignity and security are central to the analysis. This commitment is further reflected in a collection of personal narratives and visual stories from the “Portraits of Outdoor Workers” competition.

Building on these insights, the Green Book puts forward six key policy recommendations to support inclusive climate adaptation. These include safer working environments, tailored early warning systems, expanded micro-insurance schemes, livelihood diversification, flexible social protection mechanisms, and meaningful community participation in policymaking.

The Green Book – Annual Research Report. Source: SocialLife.

Ultimately, the Green Book is both a research publication and a social commitment: that climate and health policies must centre those most exposed to climate risks, and that knowledge created together with communities is essential for building fairer, more resilient urban futures.

The SocialLife Research Institute