Kampong Cham – 04 February 2014, The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) with support from Cambodia Climate Change Alliance (CCCA) organized a workshop on Climate Change Awareness Raising and Disaster Risk Reduction in Kampong Cham City. The workshop aims at increasing awareness on climate change impacts and the strategies for disaster risk reduction. A total 26 officials from National and Provincial Committee for Disaster Management attended this workshop. The workshop is presided over by H.E. Pun Narith, Secretary General of National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) and H.E. Dr. Sabo Ojano, Secretary of State of Ministry of Environment.

“Cambodia was attacked by natural and anthropogenic disasters for several cases, particularly over the last 5 years, such as server Ketsana storm, floods, drought and transmitted diseases, leading to lose hundreds of lives, damages, and rehabilitation costs which largely constraint to the national development.” H.E. Pun Narith said. He underscored that “disaster risk reduction is one of the climate change solution, climate change is not an environmental issue, but it is a real development issues”. Therefore, appropriate measures to minimize impacts through disaster risk preparedness and early warning system in a vigorous strategic plan must be critically considered.

H.E. Dr. Sabo Ojano, Secretary of State of Ministry of Environment, added “Cambodia is a least developed country that is highly vulnerable to climate change since our country’s economic development largely depends on agriculture sector and our low adaptive capacity. He stressed that the Ministry of Environment as the Chair of the National Climate Change Committee plays a leading role in coordination, development the policies and strategies, and capacity building. Therefore, Mr. Uy Kamal, Deputy Director of Climate Change Department explained the causes of climate change and its impacts. He highlighted the recent disaster caused flood in Cambodia and other countries in the region.

Mr. Chea Chanthou, Deputy Director of Climate Change Department presented the national and international response to climate change, which focus on climate change negotiation and the recent development on Cambodia Climate Change Strategic Plan (CCCSP). He appreciated the efforts made by line Ministries to developing the Sectoral Climate Change Strategic Pan. Finally, he explained the key objective of the CCCSP.

Moreover, Dr. Sot Kimkolmony, Climate Change Technical Team’s from NCDM, captures the main sections of Climate Change Strategic Plan (CCSP) in disaster risk reduction sector to the audients. The strategic plan is one of the main guiding policy documents for the country to have better responsive measures for associated climate change disaster risk reduction. The formulation of the policy document has leverage the country to combat climate change in risk disaster through four strategies:

1. Linkages between Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction;
2. Promoting the early warning system;
3. Building disaster resilience and Climate Change Adaptation capacity at all levels through education; and
4. Developing by paying more attention on risk.

Following the CCSP in disaster risk reduction sector, Dr. Mony delivers concretely the final draft of climate change action fiche for disaster risk reduction consisting 11 activities to address the impacts of climate change.

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