Cambodia’s Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC

Prepared for the Eighth Conference of the Parties (CoP-8)

Presented by Mr. Ung Seng, Director of the Minister’s Cabinet

Ministry of Environment

Kingdom of Cambodia Ministry of Environment

STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION

1. Introduction 2. National Circumstances 3. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory for 19944. Greenhouse Gas Projection5. Analysis of Climate Change Mitigation6. Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment7. Government Plans, Policies and Measures8. Research and Systematic Observation9. Education, Training and Public Participation10. Financial Resources, Technology Transfer and Capacity Building11. Problem/Constrains

Cambodia ratified the UNFCCC on 18 December 1995. The

UNFCCC entered into force on 17 March 1996

The National Communication was prepared with support from

the UNDP/GEF-sponsored Cambodia's Climate Change Enabling

Activity Project (CCEAP) in collaboration with other concerned

agencies

UNDP/GEF’s financial supports for preparation of National

Communication was US$325,480

Ministry of Environment is the National Focal Point of the

UNFCCC and the implementing agency of the CCEAP

1. Introduction

The three-year CCEAP project started in January 1999 with the objective of assisting Cambodia in preparing its First National Communication in response to the UNFCCC

Preparation of the Initial National Communication is the first step taken by the government in the actual implementation of the UNFCCC in Cambodia

The Initial National Communication of Cambodia consists of the following chapters: (1) National’s Circumstances; (2) GHG inventory for 1994; (3) GHG projection and Mitigation analysis; (4) Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment; (5) Government Plans, Policy and Measures; (6) Research and Systematic Observation; (7) Education, Training and Public Participation; and (8) Financial Resources, Technology Transfer and Capacity Building.

1. Introduction (cont.)

2. National Circumstances Geography: located in Southeast Asia between latitudes 100

and 150 N and longitudes 1020 and 1080 E, total area of 181,035 km2.

Climate: governed by monsoon and characterized by two major seasons: rainy and dry season. The annual average temperature is 28oC, with a maximum average of 38oC in April, and a minimum average of 17oC in January.

Population: 8.60 million in 1990; 9.87 million in 1994; and 11.44 million in 1998. The annual growth rate for 1998 is 2.49%. The urban population contributed 15.7% of the total population of Cambodia. In 1998, 36% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Human Health: the direct impact of the climate on human health is significant. Malaria and dengue fever are the two most important mosquito-borne diseases, which are found in Cambodia.

2. National Circumstances (cont.) Political and Decision-Making Structure: A constitutional

monarchy (the King is the Head of State who reigns but does not govern). The country has a democratic multi-party system. The Prime Minister is the head of the government.

Natural Resources: Cambodia’s natural resource wealth lies in the rivers and lakes, the terrestrial and inundated forests, the inland and coastal fisheries, pockets of volcanic soils and gemstones (the sapphire-ruby-zircon gems of Pailin).

Water Resources: Cambodia is rich in water resources: the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap system. The Mekong is the twelfth longest river in the world. The central part of Cambodia is occupied by the Tonle Sap lake which is an overflow system of the Mekong River.

2. National Circumstances (cont.) Forests: Dryland and edaphic forests. Dryland forests

consist of evergreen, coniferous, deciduous, mixed, and secondary forests, whereas edaphic forests include flooded forest, flooded secondary and mangrove. In 1998, total area of forests was about 58% of total country’s land area. The total protected area is 18% of the country’s area.

Biodiversity: 130 species of mammals, more than 600 species of birds, more than 2,300 vascular plants and an unknown number of reptiles and amphibians.

Agriculture: provides direct employment to approximately 80% of the labor force. Agricultural land is 4,079,464 ha in 1994. Rice is the staple food.

2. National Circumstances (cont.) Energy. Cambodia uses relatively little commercial energy

per person: 44 kg of oil equivalent per capita for 1994. The country imports 100% of the required petroleum products from countries in the region (about 415.67 kilotonnes in 1994). Woodfuel and other biomass are the major energy sources for cooking for Cambodian people, especially in rural areas (over 85% of the total national energy supply in 1994).

2. National Circumstances for 1994 (cont.)

Criteria 1994

Area (k m

2)

Population (million) • Urban population

(%)Population in absolute poverty ( )Life expectancy years

(%)Literacy rate Estimate share of informal sector in GDP

(%)Share of industry in GDP (%)Share of services in GDP (%)Share of agriculture in GDP

Land ( )area under agricultural purposes ha : Livestock

1. Non- " " ( )dairy cattle cow head 2. ( )Buffalo head 3. ( )Horses head 4. ( )Swine head 5. ( )Poultry head

( )Forest area ha

181,035 9.87 15 % (1,524,000) 39 . 52, . 54M F

68.7 7.3 % 18.3 36.5 45.2 4,079,500 2,621,900 814,20 0 21,000 2,002,300 10,094,400 10,804,300 (60 % of the

)total country's land area

Table 1: General information on National Circumstances

3. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory for 1994

Base year for the inventory is 1994 The preparation of the inventory is based on the Revised

1996 IPCC Guidelines Activity data: some are available from government

ministries Emission factors: default data from the IPCC Guidelines

were mainly used. No local emission factors exist The inventory covers three main greenhouse gases

(GHGs): carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)

The GHG emission and removal were estimated for 5 major sectors: Energy, Industrial Processes, Agriculture, Waste, and LUCF.

3. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory for 1994 (cont.)

CO2 CH4 N2O NOx CO

ENERGY 1,272.08 24.13 0.33 16.69 456.56

INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES 49.85 0.01 0.03

AGRICULTURE 339.25 11.08 2.7 95.76

WASTE 6.77 0.42

LAND USE CHANGE AND FORESTRY 64,850.23 45,214.27 74.77 0.51 18.58 654.2

TOTAL NAT'L GHG EMISSIONS/UPTAKE 64,850.23 46,536.20 444.92 12.35 37.98 1,206.55

Sectors and SinksEmission

CO2 uptake

Table 2: Summary of 1994 Cambodia’s GHG emission and uptake (Gg)

3. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory for 1994 (cont.)

Figure 1: (a) Share of the Three Main GHGs; (b) Total CO2

Equivalent Emissions by Sectors

LUCF79%

Energy3% Agriculture

18%

Waste0%

Industry0%

N2O 8%

CH4 18%

CO2 74%

(a) (b)

The projection of GHG emissions was done for the energy, agriculture, wastes and LUCF. The industrial process was not taken into account for the projection due to unavailability of data.

The projection indicated that in 2000 Cambodia was already a net emitter of GHGs with approximately 6,244 Gg of CO2-eqv. of GHG emissions.

In 2020, the net emissions would increase to approximately 43,848 Gg of CO2-eqv.

LUCF would remain the main source of emissions (63.0%), followed by agriculture (27.5%) and energy (9.0%).

4. Greenhouse Gas Emission Projection

Reduction of GHG is not mandatory for Cambodia. However, many government activities and measures have already contributed to the global efforts to limit GHG emissions and develop GHG sinks (eg., forest protection and reforestation).

Three main sectors were taken into account for analysis: (1) Energy and transport, (2) LUCF, and (3) Agriculture

Some options were evaluated and identified:

Energy and transport sector:Combined cycle gas turbineHydropowerPhnom Penh city shuttlesImprove cook stoveCompact fluorescentMass transit for rural areas

5. Analysis of Climate Change Mitigation

Forestry sector:

Five mitigation options were evaluated under each scenario

using COMAP (Comprehensive Mitigation Analysis Process

model): forest protection (FP); reforestation with short rotation (RSR); reforestation with long rotation (RLR); reforestation without rotation using fast (RFG); and slow growing species.

5. Analysis of Climate Change Mitigation (cont.)

Agriculture sector: The mitigation options evaluated for the agriculture sector only covered rice paddies:

intermittent irrigation applied to dry season rice;direct seeded applied in both dry and wet seasons;organic matter management applied for both seasons; andzero tillage applied in both seasons.

5. Analysis of Climate Change Mitigation (cont.)

The assessment was conducted for four sectors: (1) agriculture (rice production), (2) forestry, (3) human health, and (4) coastal zone.

Proposed adaptation measures Agriculture: Improvement of genetic or development of new high yielding

varieties Improvement of crop management and cultural practices Development of capacity to adapt to current extreme climate

such as development of early warning system Development of irrigation facilities Diversification of food crops.

6. Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment

Proposed adaptation measures Forestry: Forest plantation establishment Conservation of protected area Establishment of appropriate legal framework, policies, and

procedures for planning, management, monitoring, enforcement, and community participation in protected areas

Improvement of forest resource management.Human health (malaria): Control measures with focus on the reduction of malaria mortality

and morbidity through early diagnosis and treatment of the disease Programs for health education with focus on the most critical causes

of disease: watercourses and containers where mosquitoes breed and personal habits

Improvement of general education to diminish malaria incidents.

6. Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (cont.)

Proposed adaptation measures Coastal zone: Develop a strategic response measures to sea level rise for

the coastal areas Investigate further potential impacts of sea level rise on

biogeophysical, socio-economy, marine resources, freshwater, infrastructure, human settlements, and agricultural production

Formulate a comprehensive adjustment and mitigation policy for sea level rise in the context of integrated coastal zone management

Develop computer-based information systems covering the results of surveys, assessments and observations to minimize the impact of sea level rise

Increase public awareness on the effect of sea level rise on Cambodia’s coast.

6. Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (cont.)

Legal and Policy Frameworks

Institutional Framework

Programmes/Plans Related to Sustainable Development

International Conventions

World Heritage Sites

Climate Change Policy.

7. Government Plans, Policies and Measures

Data Collection and Monitoring:

- Meteorology and Hydrology

- Land Use Change and Forest Cover Data

- Agricultural Data

- Census Data.Research

- Climate Research

- Donor Support to Environment and Natural

Resource Research

- NGO Support to Research in the Environment Sector.

8. Research and Systematic Observation

Education and training specifically relating to climate change is still limited

General courses relating to climate change, air pollution & climate change issues, global warming, ozone layer depletion, and acid ozone layer depletion, and acid rf universities

So far, there have been no researches on climate change related issues in Cambodia beside CCEAP

MoE, a number of NGOs and local media have been organizing various programmes to promote better understanding among the general public and policy makers about environment which also includes climate change

9. Education, Training and Public Participation

Financial Resources Donor Support to Climate Change Activities Technology Transfer:

- Domestic barries to technology transfer;

- External barries to technology transfer; Capacity Building.

10. Financial Resources, Technology Transfer and Capacity Building

Preparation of the First National Communication is the first-ever climate change-related project in Cambodia, no previous experiences

Relatively low technical capacity of local staffLack of local data/information and local emission

factors for GHG inventoryLanguage barrierLimited budgetLack of relevant experts available in the countryResearch activities related to climate change are very

limited.

11. Problem/constrains