Climate change represents a serious threat to Vietnam, to its protected area system and to the preservation of its biodiversity. The country is recognised as being one of those that will be most effected by climate change. It also contains significant biological diversity (10-16% of the world's species) and the second highest number of globally threatened species in mainland South-East Asia. Due to sea level rise alone, a significant amount of Vietnam's protected areas will be directly impacted suggesting a need to review the long term comprehensiveness of the protected area network. A 1m rise will put 22% of Nature Reserves, 39% of National Parks and 50% of wetlands at very high risk of inundation. In response to this and the additive effect of extreme events and other aspects of climate change, species will need to adapt, move or they will die out locally. Movement of species to track changing conditions and habitat may be possible in mountainous areas, but there would be significant barriers to north-south migration in the narrow, densely populated coastal corridor. However, the most pressing threats to Vietnam's wildlife are occurring now, and are hunting, the illegal wildlife trade, illegal logging and infrastructure development. Conservation of Vietnam's biodiversity requires international support to address both the existing challenges as well as those predicted for the future.