Planning to promote climate resilience in Cambodia’s development

By Mom Chan Dara Soleil

Phnom Penh – Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Asia Development Bank (ADB) and Plan International Cambodia (PLAN) organized yesterday an inception workshop at Sunway Hotel here in Phnom Penh to promote climate resilience in Cambodia’s development.

Chaired by Environment Secretary of State H.E. Dr. Sabo Ojano, the one-day event allowed discussion from some sixty participating officials from government’s bodies and development agencies with expertise in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

“Today’s consultation and the next step implementation will contribute to sustainable social and economic development in Cambodia. It will eventually promote the livelihood and build climate resilience in grassroots communities,” said H.E. Dr. Sabo Ojano.

According to a global study, over the last decade disasters have claimed over 600,000 lives and affected over 2.4 billion people. Many live in the world’s poorest countries, making them more vulnerable to destructive impacts.

For the millions made homeless, countless more lose their livelihoods, have to start shattered lives literally from scratch. Years of development gains are lost, sinking millions into poverty and putting them further at risk on the firing line for the next wave of natural hazards turning into disasters.

Cambodia was ranked the 8th most disaster prone country in the world by the World Risk Index 2012. The main natural hazards to which Cambodia is exposed to include floods, flash flood and Mekong River flood. Other natural hazards include drought, storm, occasional epidemics, climate change, forest fire, man-made; and technological hazards.

Floods have affected the greatest number of people in urban and rural Cambodia and caused the greatest amount of damage during the period 1987 to 2013.

“Climate change is a global phenomenon. Cambodia is a disaster prone area and deserves a strong support. To address the issue, we need the cooperation among all concerned stakeholders. Many development agencies have not yet mainstreamed climate resilience in their work. Plan International Cambodia will address the gap which will benefit those most suffered from the impact of the climate change in the country,” said Dr. Ancha Srinivasan, ADB Principal Climate Change Specialist, South East Asia Department.