UNDP Resident Representative's opening remarks at the 2nd National Forum on Climate Change

UNDP Resident Representative Douglas Broderick
Opening remarks at the 2nd National Forum on Climate Change     
Phnom Penh, Monday 3 October 2011

H.E Dr. Mok Mareth, Chairman of the National Climate Change Committeeand Senior Minister of the Ministry of Environment;

Excellencies; Development Partners;

Honorable guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen.

First of all I would like to congratulate the National Climate Change Committee for their leadership in organizing this important event. On behalf of the UN team in Cambodia, it is my privilege to be here this afternoon to participate in the opening session of the second national forum on climate change.

Today’s discussions focus on a number of crucial issues including  climate change  science, impacts, and opportunities; recent climate change developments and key climate change initiatives in Cambodia; and successes, challenges, and lessons learnt on climate change  adaptation and mitigation as we progress on implementation of the UN Convention on Climate Change.  

Climate change impacts every sector of society. It is a global phenomenon and its impacts are obvious: 
• Heavier rainfall causes flooding in many regions. Warmer temperatures have led to heavier rainfall in some areas, which can cause flooding.
• Extreme drought is increasing. Higher temperatures also cause a higher rate of evaporation and more drought in some areas of the world.
• Crops are withering.  Increased temperatures and extreme drought lead to a decline in crop productivity around the world.  Decreased crop productivity can mean food shortages, which in turn have many social implications.
• Ecosystems are changing. As temperatures warm, species may either move to a cooler habitat or die. Species that are particularly vulnerable include endangered species, coral reefs, and polar animals. Global warming has also caused changes in the timing of spring events and the length of the growing season.
• Sea levels are rising. During the 20th century, sea levels rose about 15 cm (or 6 inches) due to melting glacier ice and the expansion of warmer seawater. Models predict that sea levels may rise as much as 59 cm (or 23 inches) during the 21st century, threatening coastal communities, wetlands, and coral reefs.
• The temperatures of large lakes are warming. The temperatures of large lakes worldwide have risen dramatically. Temperature rises have increased algal blooms in lakes, favor invasive species, increase stratification in lakes, and lower lake levels.
• Warmer temperatures affect human health. There have been more deaths due to heat waves and more allergy attacks as the pollen season grows longer. There have also been some changes in the ranges of animals that carry disease like mosquitoes.

In Cambodia, the impact of climate change puts vulnerable groups particularly at risk. Poor people and other vulnerable groups such as women-headed households, children and indigenous people, are those affected most. Extreme climatic events such as floods and droughts are already recognized as one of the main contributors to poverty in Cambodia.  

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, understanding the impacts of climate change at global and country levels and building on lessons learned from past disasters in Cambodia, are essential for us to successfully fight climate change while promoting economic growth and poverty reduction.

I would like to suggest that there are two key concerns we must address if we are to meet the climate challenge in Cambodia.  First,  to understand vulnerability as a  means to  prepare a strategy for resilient rural livelihoods; and second to find ways to empower the poor or near poor to cope with the impacts of climate change.

Climate change for Cambodia is fundamentally a development challenge. Cambodia is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. This vulnerability does not necessarily come from high exposure, but rather from low adapting and coping capacities.

These capacities can and should be strengthened, not only as part of a broader national response to the manifestations of climate change, but also to enhance the country’s ability to respond to all natural disasters and to lessen their impacts on the poor and the near poor.

The best approach to building resilient rural livelihoods in the context of climate change will be to adopt approaches that provide benefits by addressing current development priorities. For example, establishing social safety nets and improving Disaster Risk Reduction efforts will provide immediate benefits in line with the Royal Government’s goals.

At the same time, this will strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations, improving their ability to respond to the potential impacts of climate change.

But this requires looking at long-term development objectives though a new lens, and supporting the kind of informed, deliberative public debate and decision making that can address the uncertainties and risks that climate change will bring.

Because  climate change is a source of vulnerability and a threat to the Cambodia’s development gains, it is important to pay special attention to rural poverty and vulnerability. With the vast majority of Cambodia’s poor living in rural areas and depending on agriculture, understanding and responding to the root causes of rural poverty and vulnerability are essential to understanding the human development implications of climate change, and to developing the means to mitigate those effects.

Additionally, it is important to address the structural dimensions of poverty and vulnerability rather than solely focusing on climate change adaptation. I would like to propose three recommendations to empower the life of the poor and near poor to cope with the impacts of climate change:
• First, by building awareness, knowledge, information and capacity of rural people for planning and decision making
• Second, by ensuring that poor people have better access to financial and technical support
• And third, by strengthening access rights of rural people in terms of access to reliable information, right to control and make sustainable the use of natural resources (such as water, forest, fisheries and land) and rights to meaningfully participation in planning and decision making.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the United Nations has placed climate change high on its development agenda. We are committed to addressing climate change issues by supporting and assisting the Royal Government of Cambodia in close collaboration with key development partners, civil society and the private sectors.

We will continue to provide support to the Government to improve coordination, enhance awareness and understanding about climate change and mobilise technical and financial support to address gaps.

The UN will also continue to coordinate with key development partners and Government institutions to facilitate policy dialogue on climate change in different sectors and thematic areas.

The UN’s current development strategy identified climate change as a priority and various UN agencies are working together  on climate change in different sectors.

For example, FAO, IFAD and UNDP are working on climate change adaptation for agriculture and water resources and assisting to facilitate the annual forum on agriculture and climate change.  WFP and IOM are working on immediate disaster relief and preparedness.  WHO and UNICEFF are working on climate change impacts on health especially on women and children.  UNDP, FAO and UNEP are promoting sustainable forest management and building Cambodia’s readiness for the Reduction of Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.  UNIDO is working on energy efficiency and reduced emission.  And UN Habitat has been evaluating vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities in Sihanoukville.  

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we all  agree  that impacts of climate change could pose a significant threat to Cambodia’s development progress. Cambodia must prepare itself now through the development of climate change policy, institution, knowledge and information. Cambodia must set up a strong and effective financing mechanism to absorb and manage the costs of climate change.

And it is critically important to empower vulnerable people especially the poor and near poor, children and youth, indigenous people and women to have better knowledge and capacity to plan and make decisions concerning their livelihoods in the face of climate change.

I believe we can and must act now to prepare Cambodia to face the challenges and impacts of climate change.

Orkun charan.