Key environmental challenges in Cambodia and Civil Society

Strategies and Priorities

By Mrs. Seng Sothira, Climate Change Project OfficerForum Syd

Contents

1. Key terminology: environment, biodiversity, ecosystem, climate change, weather

2. Key environmental problems and causes3. Development Opportunities and priorities 4. Climate Change, effects, impacts, and proposed

solutions5. Civil society strategies related to climate change6. The Joint Climate Change Initiative (JCCI)7. Real longterm solutions

The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof.

The natural environment is contrasted with the built environment, which comprises the areas and components that are strongly influenced by humans.

1. Key Terminology: Environment, Biodiversity, Ecosystem

Wilcox's definition was "Biological diversity is the variety of life forms...at all levels of biological systems (i.e., molecular, organismic, population, species and ecosystem)

Ecosystem is Groups of living things and the environment they live in make up an ecosystem. An ecosystem has two An ecosystem has two parts. parts. Biotic Factors Living things (plants, animals, bacteria) Abiotic FactorsNon living things (air, water, soil, climate …)

Climate encompasses the statistics of

temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods.

Climate can be contrasted to weather, which is the present condition of these elements and their variations over shorter periods.

1. Key Terminology: Climate and Weather

2. Key environmental problems and causes

1. Loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity2. Deforestation3. Land degradation ( deforestation and unsuitable

agricultural practices, over used of pesticide,..)4. Water pollution and scarcity ( up stream activities;

dams, poorly planned water infrastructure, increase of agrochemical poses,)

5. Natural hazards and disaster 6. Climate change

Source: university of Gothenburg School of business, economic and law “Cambodia Environmental and Climate Change Policy Brief”

Over exploration of the natural resources Mismanagement of ecosystem and biodiversity Corruption Increasing population Deforestation (illegal logging, increasing of

demand for fuel wood and charcoal, lack of transparency in concession system, migration,

Low level of public participation in decision making Natural disaster and climate change Unsustainable agriculture practices and Weakly implemented policies

2. Key environmental problems and causes

Source: university of Gothenburg School of business, economic and law “Cambodia Environmental and Climate Change Policy Brief”

Priority to short-term benefits or benefits only

for companies and the wealthy

More vulnerability might be created by dam building, irrigation systems, privatisation of land and water etc

2. Key environmental problems and causes

3. Development Opportunities and priorities

• To value the green component of its economy• Promote Environmental friendly products• Green tourism• Improving the natural resource management –

strong Pro-poor effects• Forest project

• Rural electrification: renewable energy and efficiency energy

Source: university of Gothenburg School of business, economic and law “Cambodia Environmental and Climate Change Policy Brief”

4. Climate Change, effects, impacts, and proposed

solutions

Evidence based research (IPCC)

Temperature, sea level and blanket of snow

To increase HDI demands more energy for the mayority

Sustainable development

Social, economic and ecological development

PGD – Politics of Global Development Coherence different political areas The right perspective and the perspecive of the poor

Democracy and rights (RBA) Democratic processes, participation, focus on rights,

transparancy, institutional capacity etc

Some proposed solutions

Mitigation (IPCC – 2007)

Max 2 degrees temperature increase and 350 ppm CO2?

Binding comitments from developed now and developing countries within10 years to diminish – 40 % dev countries 2020, 80 % in total 2050?

Adaptation and climate finance Binding comitments from developed

countries? new and additional resources in relation to

existing ODA? Who decides over funds - UN or WB? Adaptation Fund/ Kyoto process

Some proposed solutions

Technology transfer: Renewable energy, Energy

efficiency Forests: REDD National and Local Development Plans must

adress poverty reduction, vulnerability reduction and focus on rights.

All adaptation efforts are integrated in the development plans

Some proposed solutions

• Adaptation discussions must part of a political

process – different solutions will benefit different groups in the society

• Participation of parlaments, local authorities, civil society and specially marginalised groups in the planning, monotoring and evaluation phases

• Transparancy, space to demand rights and responsability, support to institutional capacity

Some proposed solutions

5.1. Advocacy to change structures that keep people vulnerable

5.2. Strengthening local adaption capacity as well as to reduce climate risks

5.3. Mitigation: reduce the source of carbon emission and enhance carbon sinks.

5. Civil societies’ strategies related to climate change

Demand the participation for the poor and vulnerable

using their capacity and experience in formulating the problems and solutions in democratic processes

Demand new laws and regulations to replace those increasing peoples vulnerability and powerlessness like hiv/aids, conflicts, laws and regulations, attitudes etc

Demand benefits for the people living in poverty, vulnerability and powerlessness making visible their living conditions - lack of jobs, income, natural resources, transport, illness, unsafety in conflict areas etc

5.1. Advocacy to change hindering structures

Local comunities often have strategies to adapt to

extreme weather conditions and distasters and to promote food security, drinking water etc

analysis of their successful adaption strategies, the problems they face today and make a adaptation plan and improve their adaption strategies

Focusing rights to ensure jobs, income, assess and administration to water and land, education, health system will strengthen their adaptation capacity

Common analysis and proposals at local level on the basis of local conditions

Ecological agriculture, agroforestry, processing and sales of local products from forstry and agriculture, new and climate durable products

5.2. Strengthening local adaption capacity as well as to reduce climate

risks

Reforestration and aforestation Waste management

Increase the accessebility to decentralised energy and Renewable energy

Enhave the energy efficiency NRM (protect and prevent from illegal

activities and manage the NRM for sustainable use of the resources)

5. 3. Mitigation: reduce the source of carbon emission and enhance carbon

sinks.

Forum Syd, Cord and Danish Church Aid/Christian Aid – steering groupJCCI started in 2010Provided capacity building to 22 NGOsFund 19 NGOs during 2011-2012.Objective:

Build capacity of Cambodian local NGOs to be able to integrate climate change perspective into their existing programs and projects.

Finance partners projects related to climate

6. The Joint Climate Change Initiative (JCCI)

Changes in systems and structures

Public drivers Global Marshall plan – Green Energy revolution Strategies for public investments Good governance regulations for companies

New and additional funds Financial Transaction Taxes, Air traffic taxes

Active civil society and citizens Consciousness changes in consuming pattern

7. Real longterm solutions

Geo enginiering

store carbon in the soil and sea, release more carbon in the air, put mirros in the atmosphere , synthetic biology etc)

Atomic/ nueclear energy

REDD+ paying for eco-system services. To whom? How? Price =

trade

Carbon emissions trading

Offsets

False or part of solutions?

Thank you for your kind attention!