Regional Impact Assessment of Trans-Sectoral Planning of Waste Flows in Da Nang, Vietnam

Abstract Trans-sectoral urban planning is a crucial element of sustainable urban development using local synergies and closing regional material, energy, and finance flows. Two trans-sectoral scenarios for Da Nang (Vietnam) will be analyzed linking the waste sector to other urban sectors: (1) agriculture and (2) energy and agriculture. The scenarios will be analyzed and compared with their reference scenarios in a regional impact assessment (RIA) with respect to their economic, social, and ecological impacts. Results show that both trans-sectoral scenarios contribute to regional independence and self-supply, to the closure of regional material and energy cycles, to improvements in working and living environment, and to soil quality and climate protection. They also revealed that regional value chains are especially activated and the economic value that stays within the region can be raised significantly from EUR 1.4 to 2.8 million/a in trans-sectoral Scenario 1 and from EUR 1.7 to 4.8 million/a in Scenario 2. The RIA results provide a holistic fundament for sustainable urban decision making and supports the local implementation of the sustainable development goals.