Cambodia At High Risk From Climate Change, UN Report Says

1 April 2014

Low-income developing countries such as Cambodia will suffer the worst effects of global climate change, including food insecurity and lower agricultural output, according to a new UN report released Monday.

The report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group II combines the research of more than 300 scientists from 70 countries. They predict severe repercussions across the world as temperatures and oceans rise. The report presents an extensive regional analysis that identifies Southeast Asia—and Cambodia in particular—as particularly vulnerable to changes in climate due to an overreliance on fishing and rice production for livelihoods.

Over the past 30 to 50 years, climate change has increased temperatures, causing an increase in wet-season flooding and dry season drought in the Lower Mekong region. Agricultural output has been noticeably impacted by intensified floods and droughts, which caused almost 90% of rice production losses in Cambodia during 1996-2000.

The report says Vietnam and Cambodia are two of the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts on fisheries. In November, the government launched its 10-year Cambodia Climate Change Strategic Plan, a blueprint to deal with climate-induced natural disasters.

According to the Environment Ministry, about $250 million has been generated by mostly external donors in the past three to four years to support projects by groups working to ameliorate the effects of climate change.

Source:

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodia-at-high-risk-from-climate-change-un-report-says-55383/