File:Mekong Delta, Vietnam (Copernicus).jpg

English: This image has been obtained using images acquired by Copernicus Sentinel-1 radar satellites between 1 August 2020 and 1 May 2021 (in descending orbits). It allows us to visualise seasonal changes in the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam. The Mekong Delta is an area particularly vulnerable to climate change. As a consequence of sea-level rise, the salinity of the water that feeds the area's rice paddies has increased significantly in recent years. The changes in environmental conditions have been so significant that local farmers have been forced to convert their rice fields into shrimp farms. Rising salinity and rising sea levels could have disastrous consequences for the Delta. According to Le Anh Tuan, professor at Can Tho University's College of Environment and Natural Resources, a sea level rise of 0.7 to 1.0 metres would flood up to 40% of the entire region. The data obtained from the RADAR sensor on board the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites allow for the monitoring of naturally or accidentally flooded areas, including rice paddies, when data from optical satellites are not available due to cloud cover or night time.