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Forests play a major role in both climate change mitigation and adaptation, but few policies, if any, integrate these two aspects. Using Indonesia and Vietnam as case studies, we identify challenges at the national level but opportunities at the local level. Although both countries demonstrate political commitment to integrating adaptation and mitigation in their development plans, guidelines for policy and planning treat the two approaches separately. The main challenges identified are lack of knowledge, lack of political will, lack of financial incentives, and fragmentation of mandates and tasks of different government agencies. In contrast, at the local level, integration of mitigation and adaptation is facilitated by subnational autonomy, where mitigation projects might have adaptation co-benefits, and vice versa. Our results also show that many actors have a dual mandate that could bridge adaptation and mitigation if appropriate political and financial incentives are put in place. Successful integration of mitigation and adaptation policies would not only remove contradictions between policies, but also encourage governments that are designing domestic policies to exploit the potential for positive spillovers and realize the benefits of both approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflicts of interest between forest conservation and livelihoods of swidden communities in Vietnam have been widely recognized by policy makers and scholars. However, policies and solutions to date have been based on a limited understanding of land use decisions and factors influencing these changes and strategies. This study addresses this gap by analyzing factors affecting farmers' land use decision-making in three swidden communities in Nghe An and Son La provinces, Vietnam. Our findings show that swidden communities' land use strategies were built on the cultural, social and economic statuses of households in response to government policies on the restriction of swidden farming, promotion of industrial forest plantations, and changes in environmental and market conditions. Our findings suggest that future policy interventions are unlikely to overcome existing conflicts between conservation and development without considering macro policies, continuous environmental and social changes, and diverse household characteristics and interests. • The study examines factors influencing land use decision-making in three swidden communities in Vietnam. • Swidden communities' land use strategies in response to government policies and market change were driven by the cultural, socio-economic statuses of households. • Future interventions should be simultaneously given to the macro policies, continuous environmental and social changes, and diverse household characteristics and interests, while the insecure tenure in upland areas needs addressing in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the efficacy of payments for environmental services (PES) offered to the poor, using Vietnam as a case study. Environmental services (ES) most often covered by PES are listed as including watershed protection, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation. PES is viewed by some as an ideal means by which to fulfill the global quest for poverty reduction as defined by the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals. Particular focus is given to the role that governments and administrative agencies play in ensuring the success of PES.