Cambodia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution.

This Cambodia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) is a multi-sectoral policy document. In the INDC, Cambodia proposes a GHG mitigation contribution for the period 2020 – 2030, conditional upon the availability of support from the international community. For key sectors (energy industries, manufacturing industries, transport, and other sectors), by 2030, the aggregate reduction of mitigation actions is expected to be 27% relative emission reduction compared to Business as usual scenario. For land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), Cambodia intends to undertake voluntary and conditional actions to achieve the target of increasing forest cover to 60% of national land area by 2030. The INDC includes both adaptation and mitigation actions based on national circumstances.
To implement actions in accordance with Cambodia's sustainable development needs that also address climate change, actions are proposed in the INDC, such as: Developing crop varieties suitable to Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ) and resilient to climate change; Promoting aquaculture production systems and practices that are adaptive to climate change; Connecting decentralized renewable energy to the grid; Use of renewable energy for irrigation and solar lamps; Increasing forest cover to 60% of national land area, and maintaining that level from 2030 onwards; etc.(page 4-6).
Cambodia’s main national development priority, enshrined in the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) for 2014-2018, is to reduce poverty while fostering economic growth at a steady rate of 7-8% per year. Efforts in addressing climate change in Cambodia cannot be separated from economic development and poverty alleviation goals. The INDC include actions to promote poverty alleviation, such as promoting and improving the adaptive capacity of communities, especially through community based adaptation actions, and restoring the natural ecology system to respond to climate change.
In order to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, prioritised adaption actions are proposed in the INDC, including: Implementing management measures for protected areas to adapt to climate change; - Strengthening early warning systems and climate information dissemination; Developing and rehabilitating the flood protection dykes for agricultural and urban development; Increasing the use of mobile pumping stations and permanent stations in responding to mini-droughts, and promoting groundwater research in response to drought and climate risk; Developing climate-proof agriculture systems for adapting to changes in water variability to enhance crop yields; Promoting climate resilient agriculture in coastal areas through building sea dykes and scaling-up of climate-smart farming systems; Repairing and rehabilitating existing road infrastructure and ensuring effective operation and maintenance, taking into account climate change impacts; Strengthening technical and institutional capacity to conduct climate change impact assessments, climate change projections, and mainstreaming of climate change into sector and sub-sector development plans (page 4-5).
Cambodia intends to support the initial delivery of the INDC mainly through the implementation of the Cambodia Climate Change Strategic Plan (CCCSP) (2014 – 2023) to develop towards a green, low-carbon, climate-resilient, equitable, sustainable and knowledge-based society (page 13-14). The main CCCSP strategic objectives are to: Promote climate resilience through improving food, water and energy security; Reduce sectoral, regional, gender vulnerability and health risks to climate change impacts; Ensure climate resilience of critical ecosystems (Tonle Sap Lake, Mekong River, coastal ecosystems, highlands, etc.), biodiversity, protected areas and cultural heritage sites; Promote low-carbon planning and technologies to support sustainable development; Improve capacities, knowledge and awareness for climate change responses; Promote adaptive social protection and participatory approaches in reducing loss and damage due to climate change; Strengthen institutions and coordination frameworks for national climate change responses; Strengthen collaboration and active participation in regional and global climate change processes.