Key environmental challenges in Cambodia and Civil Society Strategies

 By Mrs. Seng Sothira, Climate Change Project Officer Forum Syd

Contents

 1. Key terminology: environment, biodiversity, ecosystem, climate change, weather 2. Key environmental problems and causes 3. Development Opportunities and priorities 4. Climate Change, effects, impacts, and proposed solutions 5. Civil society strategies related to climate change 6. The Joint Climate Change Initiative (JCCI) 7. Real longterm solutions

1. Key Terminology: Environment, Biodiversity, Ecosystem

 The natural environment encompasses all occurring living and non-living things naturally on Earth or some region thereof. Wilcox's definition was

"Biological diversity

is the variety of life forms...at all levels of Ecosystem is Groups of living things and the environment they live in make up an ecosystem. An ecosystem has two parts.

Biotic Factors

Living biological systems things (plants, animals, The natural environment is contrasted with the built environment humans. , which comprises the areas and components that are strongly influenced by (i.e., molecular, organismic, population, species and ecosystem) bacteria)

Abiotic Factors

Non living things (air, water, soil, climate …)

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1. Key Terminology: Climate

 Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature , humidity , atmospheric pressure , wind , precipitation , atmospheric particle count and other periods. meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long  Climate can be contrasted to weather variations over shorter periods.

, which is the present condition of these elements and their

2. Key environmental problems and causes

 1. Loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity 2. Deforestation 3. 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”

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2. Key environmental problems and causes

 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

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

2. Key environmental problems and causes

  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

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

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Evidence based research (IPCC)

Temperature, sea level and blanket of snow 

To increase HDI demands more energy for the mayority 

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Some proposed solutions

  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   CO2? (IPCC – 2007) Max 2 degrees temperature increase and 350 ppm Binding comitments from developed now and 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

5. Civil societies’ strategies related to climate change

 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.

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5.1. Advocacy to change hindering structures

 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

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

 Local comunities often have strategies to adapt to extreme weather conditions and distasters and to promote food  analysis of their successful adaption strategies, the 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 climate durable products

  5. 3. Mitigation: reduce the source of carbon emission and enhance carbon sinks.  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)

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6. The Joint Climate Change Initiative (JCCI)

Aid – steering group  JCCI started in 2010  Forum Syd, Cord and Danish Church Aid/Christian Provided capacity building to 22 NGOs Fund 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

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7. Real longterm solutions

 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

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False or part of 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

Thank you for your kind attention!

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