PHNOM PENH, 25 August 2015: A Training of Trainers on Climate Policy and Public Finance was launched in Economics and Finance Institute (EFI) of the Ministry of Economics and Finance (MEF) today, focusing on the development impacts of climate change and how the climate change response can be integrated in Government planning and budgets. This is the first ever learning event jointly organized by EFI and UNITAR, in partnership with the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance and with financial support from the United Nations Development Programme and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
Mr. In Em, EFI director, MEF, emphasized the necessity of capacity development as one of the core pillars to strengthen the climate change response in Cambodia.
On behalf of the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance, Mr. Julien Chevillard, Trust Fund Administrator, mentioned the need to bring together climate change and public finance professionals to design this course so that the climate change priorities of the Government can be concretely reflected in activities and budgets, and not just at the strategy level. The ongoing public financial management reforms offer an opportunity to do this.
Mr. Angus Mackay, representing UNITAR, indicated that climate change is now a major area of focus for this organization, and that EFI is part of a regional initiative, involving national and regional training institutions, to develop local capacities to train Government officials on these issues, from a basic to an advanced level.
The training course is running over 3.5 days including sessions on the basic concept of climate change in public policy, managing the training delivery to public servants in an effective way, and preparations and practice sessions for the trainers. The contents of the training are tailored to the Cambodian context, building in particular on the Cambodia Climate Change Financing Framework, approved in 2014.
According to analysis carried out from 2009-2012, around 15% of Cambodia’s national budget is spent on programmes that relate to climate change. This includes investments in agricultural projects and water management, infrastructure, energy supply, public health systems, among others.
This ToT event involves 16 trainers from EFI, Ministry of Economics and Finance and National Council for Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Environment. The first training event for Government officials is planned for October 2015.
