GCCA+ COP21 SIDE EVENT

AN ALLIANCE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE IN MYANMAR: THE EXPERIENCE OF A CLIMATE

VULNERABLE COUNTRY IN BUILDING POLICIES AND CAPACITIES

MYANMAR

U HLA MAUNG THEIN, DEPUTY-DIRECTOR GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT MINISTRY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY (MOECAF)

PARIS, 2 DECEMBER 2015, 16H30 – 18H

1

CHANGES IN CLIMATE ARE EVIDENT IN MYANMAR… AND WILL CONTINUE

1. Observed evidence in last 6 decades...• Increased temperatures (~o.8° per decade)• Changing rainfall patterns/volumes in different areas• Monsoon season late on-set and early withdraw• Recurrence/severity of extreme weather events

2. …further changes by 2050*, i.e. • Continued increase in temperatures (up to 1.4 °); change in

rainfall (up to 661mm); changing Monsoon season• More cyclones/storms, floods, sea-level rise (5-21 cm),

droughts

*NAPA 2012,PRECIS model w.A2emissions scenario

Sea-level risesource: WWF incollaboration withtheNatural CapitalProject and Center for Climate SystemsResearch (CSCR) atColumbia University

MYANMAR IS THE 2ND MOST VULNERABLE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO THE EFFECTS OF CC*

1. Large impact of rapid on-set disasters…

• Cyclones e.g. Nargis (2008) = 138,000 deaths, 4Bl US$ lost; cyclone Giri etc.

• Floods and Landslide in Rakhine/Chin/Magwe/Sagaing (2015) = 1 million acre crops destroyed, forecasted reduction of 2017 GDP from 8.2% to 6.5%

2. …and silent effects of changes • Climate driven migrations (e.g. Central Dry Zone: unpredict.

rainfall; Coastal: erosion, salinization)• Loss of agriculture productivity (still 37% GDP);• Loss of biodiversity (aggravated by deforestation)• Livestock diseases and decreased outputs (fishery)

3. Socio-economic effects• Employment depends on climate sensitive activities (Agriculture

50% of jobs)• Loss of GDP for disasters e.g. forecasted reduction of 2017 GDP

from 8.2% to 6.5% due to floodsTop:AwomanreceivesawaterrationforherfamilyduringaseveredroughtinThoneGwa townshipintheYangonregioninJuly2012.Image:KaungHtet/ICIMOD/UNBottom:coastalerosionasaresultofNargis inLaputta Township*GlobalClimateRiskIndex2015,WhoSuffersMostfromExtremeWeatherEvents?Weather-RelatedLossEventsin1994to2013andin2013,Germanwatch andV.

STRIKING THE BALANCE BETWEEN RAPID DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

1. Economy grows at ~6.5% since democratic reform in 2011

• From agriculture to services & production e.gGas, Manufacturing (agriculture still 37% of GDP)

2. Increased demand in energy & use of natural resources

• Mitigate environmental costs (deforestation) • Manage the ecosystem services

3. …still LDC & high vulnerabilities• Most of Myanmar’s 51.2 million people (2014

Census) live in vulnerable areas to CC• Poverty: 85% of rural population living below

poverty line(c)Sukun 2015

MCCA: A PLATFORM TO ADDRESS CC1. Myanmar Climate Change Alliance

• Platform to strengthen human and institutional capacities

2. Action pillars: a. Raising national to local awareness,

disseminate climate scienceb. Formulating policies, reinforcing

institutions and building capacitiesc. Sectoral national and township/local

adaptation 3. 4 years+ journey & partnership

• MoECAF & all ministries• UN-Habitat & UNEP executed• EU/GCCA funded

ADVANCING CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION1. Increasing awareness via Media, CSO, Policy

Makers, Towns• National awareness campaign to start 2016• Climate data to be disseminated/translated• Awareness workshops national, region, local

2. Developing policy, institution, capacities• CC Ministerial Committee + Technical Working Group:

20 ministries, 3 main cities, 2 Academia, CSO, Private• National Development Plan 2030 > includes CC • National Climate Change Strategy, Action Plan & Policy

and other policies in progress

3. Strengthening town capacities for adaptation• Downscaling CC models (e.g. Labutta, Pakokku)• Planning adaptation on impact scenarios• MCCA grant facility for adaptive measures (e.g. Water

Protection, Resilient Architecture, Smart Agriculture)

Top: example of articles inthe press promoted byMCCA todiscuss climate changeCentre: national and localmulti-stakeholders consultations for theNational CC StrategyBottom: Left: Township authorities inDryZone Areasdiscuss withMCCA options toaddress vulnerabilities toclimate change intheirarea (2015,MCCA). Right: example of scenarios fromUN-Habitat CCCI, Maputo

FOCUS AREAS FOR THE NEW CC STRATEGY

Unlockedopportunities

forlowcarbon

developmentinpotentialsectors

Institutionalmechanismsstrengthened

Multi-stakeholderPartnershippromoted

Priority actionsResultsGoal

AwarenessandCapacity,Education,

Research,data,innovationimproved

Improvedimplementationofclimateresilientagricultureapproaches

ImprovedEcosystemHealthandServices

Increased energy efficiency and use of

renewable energy

OutcomesBy 2030, Myanmar is achieving climate resilience and is engaged in low-carbon, resource efficient development as a contribution to sustainable development

Policyframeworkestablished

Enabled sustainable and resilient human settlements, services

and infrastructure

Improved access to science, knowledge

and technology

Improved preparedness and

early warning system

Accesstotechnologyenhanced

Financialframeworkestablished

Sectoralactivities

Actionplanswithspecificactivities

…

Actionplanswithspecificactivities

Actionplanswithspecificactivities

Actionplanswithspecificactivities

Increased adaptive capacity

and resilience of vulnerable

communities and

sectors

THE ROADMAP TO 2030

1. Improved institutional coordination and a functional climate change platform (MCCA)

2. Stronger policy environment: 1st National Climate Change Strategy & Action Plans!

3. More clarity on climate change for policy makers thanks to the consultations, awareness, formulation of policies/strategy

4. Increasing dialogue across sectors and society: CSO, Private Sector, Universities, Development Partners, Communities

5. Eco-system based local adaptation as a focus6. Increasing awareness (new data available;

improvement in dissemination)

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR

1. Support in implementing the National Climate Change Strategy & action plans1. Capacity-building of sectors: MCCA will

start, but funding is needed overtime2. Technical, financial and skill transfer in

each sector3. Focus on implementing the sectoral

action plans

2. Reinforcing/expanding the capacities for a national climate change awareness campaign of MCCA

FURTHER SUPPORT REQUIRED

Thank you for your attention!

U Hla Maung TheinDeputy Director GeneralEnvironmental Conservation DepartmentMinistry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, Myanmar