Cambodia discusses efforts to respond to climate change

19/08/2010
Xinhua

The Royal Government of Cambodia and its development partners on Wednesday discussed and stressed on the need for integrated efforts under different climate change-related initiatives to ensure high efficiency in helping the country to respond to the impact of this global problem.

The message came during the inception workshop of the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance (CCCA) which was held in Phnom Penh in a one-day forum where participated by more than 100 representatives from different ministries, institutions and expertises as well as those from development partners.

Mok Mareth, Senior Minister and Minister of Environment, Chairman of the National Climate Change Committee, opened the workshop by reiterating the high attention of the Royal Government of Cambodia is tackling impacts of climate change as a strategic priority for reducing poverty.

"We are undertaking this task at a time when climate change- related issues are becoming more and more serious, requiring the utmost attention in our national development agenda," the minister said in the occasion of opening session.

"Because climate change is a cross-sectoral issue directly concerning ministries and institutions that are charged with tasks of national development, the Royal Government of Cambodia has recognized the need to streamline climate change issues into the national policy and the socio-economic development plan at national and sub-national levels, as well as into other relevant sectors," he added.

Cambodia, where some 80 percent of the population live in the countryside and depend on agriculture for livelihoods, is deemed vulnerable to impacts of climate change events such as drought, erratic patterns of rain falls, and flooding.

However, along with these challenges there are also opportunities for funding to least developed countries like Cambodia. But Cambodia needs to prepare and strengthen its institutional capacity to make use of those opportunities for sustainable socio-economic development.

The CCCA, a multi-donor funded initiative, was created for this objective. The CCCA will strengthen the key institutions including the National Committee on Climate Change, the Climate Change Department, and key climate change functional units within sectors at national and sub-national levels.

The aim is to support the integration of climate change considerations into policy and planning processes to build a national adaptation system.

The CCCA initiative is supported by the Climate Change Trust Fund of 8.9 million US dollars which covers the period 2010- 2012 from the European Union, UNDP, SIDA, and DANIDA.

Rafael Dochao-Moreno, Charg d'Affaires, European Union Delegation to Cambodia, said "the CCCA is NOT a program of the Ministry of Environment; it is a program of the National Climate Change Committee and as such requires commitment and engagement from all ministries."

"We propose that a consolidated effort be made by all involved in climate change to support the establishment of a National Program for climate change to be established by the Government, with the support of development partners and civil society organizations to align climate change initiatives and donor support with national strategies and priorities," he said.

"A programmatic approach can reduce transactions costs, strengthen national ownership and leadership, and enhance efficiency and effectiveness in order to promote greater impacts," he added.