Sustainable development is present everywhere in Vietnam. This book analyses the Sustainable Development narrative and its use by different actors in Vietnam. It examines how narratives are used to establish environmental rule in the socialist state. By focusing on NGOs and their positions in the Vietnamese context, the book illustrates how different actors use the Sustainable Development narrative to navigate power relations with the authoritarian state and the international donors, and how the narrative differs from theory to the actual practices on the ground. The book will be of interest to scholars of Vietnam who wish to understand development and state-society relations in environmental governance. It is an important read for development practitioners.

"By tracing the process of Sustainable Development on several scales (international, national and local) in Vietnam, Behrens demonstrates the significance of in-depth Area Studies and the importance of empirical groundwork for conceptual reflection."