Climate Change Related Activities in Cambodia ECBI Regional Workshop on Climate Change BRAC CDM, Rajendrapur, Gazipur, Bangladesh 7-9 August 2006 Climate Change Related Activities in Cambodia Presented by Mr. Heng Chan Thoeun Ministry of Environment, Cambodia

Outline of the Presentation 1. Background 2. Progress to Date 3. Current Climate Change Framework (Roles and Responsibilities of the Cambodian Climate Change Office-CCCO) 4. Current Climate Change Activities 5. Education, Training and Public Awareness 6. Key Issues 7. Next Step

1. Background Cambodia ratified the UNFCCC on 18 December 1995; Cambodia acceded to the Kyoto Protocol on 04 July 2002; The Cambodian Ministry of Environment (MoE) is the National Focal Point for the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol; The Cambodian Climate Change Office (CCCO) was established under the Ministry of Environment; CCCO works closely with all relevant Government agencies, NGOs, the private sector, local communities, donors and international organization to coordinate and implement national climate change policies, greenhouse gas mitigation and inventory, and climate change adaptation activities.

2. Progress to Date (1/4) 1999: Launching of the first climate change project to help prepare the first National Communication; 04 July 2002: Accession to the Kyoto Protocol; October 2002: Submission of the First National Communication to the CoP-8 in New Delhi; November 2002: Launching of the Capacity Development for the Clean Development Mechanism project (UNEP/Riso); 23 June 2003: Establishment of the Climate Change Office within the MoE Department of Planning and Legal Affairs by MoE Declaration No 195;

2. Progress to Date (2/4) 15 July 2003: Appointment of MoE as the Interim Designated National Authority for CDM by the Prime Minister’s Declaration No 01 dated (A Letter of Notification to the UNFCCC Secretariat on was sent on August 2003); September 2003: Launching of the NAPA Project; August 2004: Launching a CCCO Website (www.camclimate.org.kh); December 2005 completed the CDM assessment procedures and approved the first CDM project in Cambodia. 24 April 2006: A sub-decree on the establishment of National Climate Change Committee.

Completed the following studies/reports: 2. Progress to Date (3/4) Completed the following studies/reports: Cambodia's 1994 Greenhouse Gas Inventory; Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Analysis: Energy and Transport; Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Analysis: Agriculture and Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry; Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment to Climate Change in Cambodia; Initial National Communication of Cambodia to the CoP;

2. Progress to Date (4/4) Completed NAPA final reports: - Analysis of policies to address climate change impacts in Cambodia; - A survey of Cambodian households, and - NAPA document (currently under consideration of the Council of Ministers). Capacity Development for the Clean Development Mechanism (CD4CDM); National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) for implementing the obligations under three conventions: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), UNFCCC and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

3. Current Climate Change Framework (1/3) National Climate Change Committee (established) Cambodian Climate Change Office UNFCCC Implementation GHG Inventory Vulnerability & Adaptation UNFCCC & the Kyoto Protocol Focal Point Ad hoc Inter-ministerial Working Group on Energy Ad hoc Inter-ministerial Working Group on Forestry Mitigation Cambodian Interim DNA Minister of Environment Secretariat

CCCO Roles and Responsibilities 3. Current Climate Change Framework (2/3) CCCO Roles and Responsibilities Implement the UNFCCC and other climate change-related tasks Provide information and advice to the Government on preparation of negotiation positions, establishment of national climate change policies, plans and legal instrument Identify and assess new technologies appropriate for Cambodia to adapt to climate change or to mitigate GHG emissions Organize training courses, workshops, seminars and meetings related to climate change Liaise with relevant national and international agencies

CCCO Roles and Responsibilities 3. Current Climate Change Framework (3/3) CCCO Roles and Responsibilities Promote research activities and human capacity building Develop new climate change-related project proposals Prepare progress reports to be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies Compile, manage and periodically update a database relating to the implementation of the UNFCCC in Cambodia Act as the Secretariat of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Focal Points for Cambodia Enhance cooperation with relevant governmental agencies, national and international organizations, NGOs, and local communities to promote the implementation of the national climate change policies.

4. Current Climate Change Activities Facilitate the process of NAPA document review and approval by the Council on Ministers; CDM capacity building activities; Establishment of a National Climate Change Committee; Establishment of the Designated National Authority (Sustainable development criteria, approval process, barriers assessment); CDM project pipeline development & marketing; Proposal for the 2nd National Communication; Strengthening and expansion of regional and international networks (UNFCCC, GEF, UNDP, UNEP/Riso, UNITAR, IGES, APN, AIT, concerned ministries/agencies, Academe, NGOs).

5. Education, Training and Public Awareness (1/2) - Education and training specifically relating to climate change is limited in Cambodia; Formal Environmental Education: - Primary & Secondary Education A Guide to Environmental Education for Primary School Teachers was developed Models for integrating environmental education into the primary and secondary school curricula were presented and adopted - University Level The Royal University of Phnom Penh is involved in environmental awareness, the topic relating to climate change is entitled: "Air pollution & climate change issues”; global warming; ozone layer depletion; and acid rain In 2000, RUPP enrolled the first students for the four year Environment Degree course includes classes on climate change In 2000, the Royal School of Administration introduced an environmental education programme (which includes climate change themes) for in-service training to senior and medium government staff; The Royal University of Agriculture and the Prek Leap Agricultural College teach the meteorology courses focusing on the effects of climate on agriculture.

5. Education, Training and Public Awareness (2/2) Non-Formal Environmental Education A number of local and international NGOs have conducted climate change education activities at the grassroots level as part of sustainable agriculture and community/rural development programs. Climate change themes have received little attention. Training and Public Awareness Campaigns The Cambodian Climate Change Office (CCCO) has conducted a number of technical trainings related to climate change (GHG inventory, mitigation & adaptation assessment, CDM-related themes, etc.) for staff from concerned ministries/institutions; A Media Unit of the Ministry of Environment have produced and broadcasted awareness raising materials related to environmental and, to a lesser extend, climate change issues; CCCO has produced and disseminated selected awareness raising materials (brochures, booklets, CDs, videos) related to climate change issues, the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and CDM.

6. Key Issues Limited financial resources: funding for climate change activities, including Article 6 implementation, depends on donors and their priorities (sustainability? donor- driveness? ownership?); Little climate change studies and experiences within the country; Lack of climate change research/training institutions in the country; Data availability and reliability, absence of a formal mechanism for information sharing; Relatively low technical capacity of local staff; Lack of qualified national experts in the country; Limited public awareness/education on climate change.

7. Next Step Climate change education, training and awareness raising; Climate change national institutional strengthening; CCCO managerial and technical capacity strengthening; National Greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory; Vulnerability and adaptation assessment; GHG mitigation & CDM promotion; Preparation of the Second National Communication to the UNFCCC International cooperation and networking.

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