Desktop Study on - Regional Climate Change Adaptation ...

Assessment of Capacity Gaps and Needs of South East Asia Countries
in Addressing Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Variability and Climate Change
AND CHALLENGES
The projected exposure to climate change impacts
seems relatively less severe in Cambodia than that
of other countries (Roth, 2009). However, taking
into consideration, vulnerability to climate change
as a result of not only exposure but also adaptive
capacity, the country still remains highly vulnerable
with its relatively lower level of adaptive capacity
(Yusuf and Francisco, 2009 cited in Roth, 2009).
Water Sector
There is lack of knowledge that supports an
appropriate operational scheme such as real-time
information about rainfall and water level, flood
forecasts in the wet season (Watt, 2009 cited in
Solar, 2009). On the other hand, there is still an issue
of uncertainty related to the existing projections
of climate change impacts, which demonstrates
different information on climatic variability for
different timescales (TKK, SEA START RC and
RUPP, 2009). Due to strong seasonal and interannual
variation of the water regime in the Mekong
floodplains and the Tônlé Sap Lake, it is indicated as
more important to reflect on changes in extremes,
for example, of highest water levels, rather than
expected average figure. Moreover, there is a
need for more holistic approach to climate change
impacts and adaptation that integrates broader
socio-economic, institutional and political contexts
and different temporal and geographic scales (ibid).
It is estimated, for example, that relatively radical
changes to the Tônlé Sap flood pulse system are
predicted to occur in more immediate timescale due
to upstream hydropower development rather than
climate change.
In addition, not much research and evaluation of the
groundwater resources of the Mekong Basin have
been conducted including the volume, discharge/
recharge rate and different use of groundwater and
sources, distribution and impacts of groundwater
contamination (Eastham et al., 2008). In order to
assess impacts of the current and projected climate
change conditions on the groundwater resources
in various countries of the Mekong River region,
it is required to develop regional models of the
groundwater systems that allow quantification
of the groundwater resources (ibid). This entails
the detailed hydrogeological and geophysical
investigations of the aquifer systems in various
countries and regions of the Mekong Basin as well as
the groundwater monitoring network.
Agriculture and Food Security Sector
The strategies to intensify and/or sustain agricultural
productivity in Cambodia are often suggested as an
adaptation measure. However, the strategies are not
being driven by climatic impacts, but to a greater
extent by the inflow of foreign investment for the
purpose of extracting land concessions for largescale
agricultural enterprises (Roth, 2009). The
increasing demand for agricultural products from
neighbouring countries, such as, Thailand and Viet
Nam are also a determinant factor of the changes
in agricultural practices. These drivers could serve
as an opportunity, if aligned with climate change
adaptation needs, and could prove to be an effective
mechanism, if adaptated . This would require a policy
research that provides recommendations on how
best to mainstream the climate adaptation agenda
into the broader development policies of Cambodia
(Roth, 2009).
Institutional Settings concerning Climate
Change
Integration of climate change adaptation issues
into national policies and programmes as well as
awareness of the climate change issues are limited
to agricultural and water resources sector (Solar,
2009). The approaches toward the disaster risk
reduction would be an appropriate entry point for
certain actors to assess, negotiate and prioritise
initiatives, leading to integration of climate change
adaptation issues across all the sectors.
There are technical gaps on data management
among national bodies. Quality climate data that
have been collected, for example, by Department
of Meteorology (DoM) are not digitised, and hence,
CCCO cannot utilise them for the development of the
Second National Communication or the DoM cannot
enhance their observation capacities to conduct
better climate change projections (Solar, 2009).
There remains a challenge on applications of climate
modelling. For example, the system of climate
modelling is not applicable and user-friendly, and
not integrating hydrological features required by
the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
(MoWRAM) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests,
and Fisheries (MAFF). Also, knowledge and system
of climate modelling are not brought to the ground
level, and hence, farmers cannot adjust their initiative
in accordance to climate events (Solar, 2009). In
order to address this challenge, it is suggested that
the NCCC establish a detailed integrated process of
data gathering and analysis as well as dissemination
of data to concerned groups and incorporate the
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