This was the key message that came out of Cambodia’s National Forum on Climate Change, held in Phnom Penh on 19-21 October. The Forum, the first of its kind, aimed to raise awareness among government, development partners and civil society that climate change is not just an environmental, but also a development issue, with far-reaching consequences for Cambodia’s progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

 

In the lead up to the global 15th Conference of Parties on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December, where world leaders will meet to outline a common agreement on combating climate change, it was also an opportunity for Cambodia to refine its position going into these talks.

More than 700 guests, including government officials, development partners, NGOs, students and even Buddhist monks, attended the inaugural ceremony, presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen. Their presence highlighted the underlying concern: Climate change affects everybody – from policy-makers to common citizens.

The Prime Minister said the forum represented “another crossroad in the history of Cambodia”. He said the government and its partners must make a commitment to move towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.

Although Cambodia is one of the lowest contributors to the global greenhouse gas emissions, Senior Minister of Environment Dr. Mok Mareth said the government was committed to working with all stakeholders in ”the climate change crusade”. 

“We wish to be a part of the solution of this global problem, because we have political will and a moral responsibility. More importantly, because addressing climate change makes sense, politically, economically, environmentally and technologically,” he said at the forum, which was organized by the Ministry of Environment with support from Danida, Sida, Oxfam and UNDP.

On the forum agenda were key issues relating to climate change such as adaptation and mitigation. Participants examined best practices in other countries and considered how best to mainstream similar actions into all sectors of development in Cambodia.

Cambodia’s vulnerability to climate change impacts is very high as a result of its limited financial, technological and institutional ability to adapt to changes and respond to effects. As a country where some 80 percent of the population of 13.4 million people live in the countryside and depend largely on agriculture for a living, climate change impacts will also have significant implications for food security in Cambodia. The recent tropical storm Ketsana, which struck central parts of the country in September, causing floods, the destruction of hundreds of homes and the loss of lives, indicated the country’s inability to cope with such natural disasters.

But among the challenges there are also opportunities.

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Douglas Broderick said climate change was a priority in the new UN Development Assistance Framework for Cambodia for 2011-2015. Developing capacity of national and local authorities, civil society and private sectors to promote climate change adaptation and mitigation will make up a significant element of the UN’s work in this area. 

Significantly, Cambodia is the only country where the two major global adaptation financing initiatives – World Bank-managed Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience and European Commission’s Global Climate Change Alliance – are being piloted.

World Bank Cambodia Country Manager Qimiao Fan said the pilot programme would provide US$30 million to US$60 million for activities to enhance Cambodian national development priorities and make them more resilient to climate change.

UNDP Cambodia is presently facilitating the design of Phase 1 of the pilot programme. Additionally, UNDP is also the proposed Trust Fund Manager for European Commission’s Global Climate Change Alliance.

UNDP has assisted the Cambodian government, among many other activities, in developing the capacity of the National Climate Change Committee and its First National Communications, which formed the basis for the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA). UNDP is currently continuing its support to the government to prepare the Second National Communications, which will eventually lead to the creation of a national climate change strategy and action plan.

Building on these steps, Cambodia could lead the way in building a green, low-carbon economy, UNDP Country Director Jo Scheuer said at the forum. He added that while the commitment and support of development partners was vital, good coordination among them was equally important.

“It is possible that substantial additional resources can become available to Cambodia to address climate change adaptation and mitigation. Therefore, it is crucial that coordination and information sharing mechanisms are robust enough to ensure an efficient and effective national response,” he said.

Following on from the forum, and continuing in its commitment to address climate change, Cambodia will send around 20 government officials from various line ministries to the COP 15 climate change conference in Copenhagen in December.  UNDP Cambodia will also participate in the conference, providing technical and advisory support for the Cambodian officials to actively and meaningfully engage in the negotiations.