7thNovember, 2012, Phnom Penh Cambodia
The Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Environment launched an online knowledge and information platform together with the presentation of Education and Awareness Guidelines. On this occasion, the award ceremony of a climate change student painting competition was celebrated. Over 100 participants from government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations,academia, and media attended the event.
The ceremony was launched by H.E. Dr. Mok Mareth, Senior Minister, Minister of Environment and H.E. Jean-François Cautain, Ambassador - Head of Delegation of the European Union Delegation to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
In his welcome remarks, H.E Dr. Mok Mareth addressed the limited understanding about climate change explaining how this posed challenges to increase resilience among people. In response to that, the Ministry of Environment with the support from Cambodia Climate Change Alliance, developed strategic climate change education and awareness guidelines to promote climate change awareness through formal and non-formal education.
These strategic recommendations are being used as a supporting foundation document for mainstreaming climate change communications in the relevant line ministries. Adding to his comments, H.E. Jean-François stated: “It is critical to establish a common approach for knowledge and information sharing among all society and government”
In succession with the guidelines, the Climate Change Department introduced the new online climate change knowledge and information platform. It features many new interactive sections, such as a comprehensive library on climate change, an online forum for discussions and exchange, a photo and video library and a large set of interactive widgets for users. It also contains an impressive timeline of the various global and national environmental policies since 1925.
The platform is the online and visible side of a larger initiative to coordinate climate related knowledge and information in Cambodia. The online Knowledge and Information Platform is among the first output of a coordinated sector based strategy to tackle climate change. The Climate Change Department and various member agencies of the National Climate Change Committee are developing sector plans designed to mainstream climate change in the development strategies of the country.
To crown the event, 12 young artists received awards at the final of the 2012 Climate Change School Drawing Competition. In the process of the competition, students spend one month of research on climate change concepts to better illustrate the theme through their creative drawings. The pictures can be accessed from: Youth Painting Pictures
You can also enjoy our video report below:
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