By 2050, 60 percent of the Vietnamese population will live in cities, thereby shaping how most of its population will live and work. The question is how this transition can be managed in a socially inclusive and ecologically sustainable way. This study examines urbanization in Vietnam and climate change impacts on vulnerable groups in urban areas, explores pathways to socio-ecological transformations in the country and provides recommendations. The paper was commissioned by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Viet Nam and written by Ngo Tho Hung from Academy of Managers for Construction and Cities (AMC) Viet Nam and Mirjam Le from the University of Passau.