Cambodia Climate Change Strategic Plan (CCCSP) 2014-2023

In 2013, the Royal Government of Cambodia launched the Cambodia Climate Change Strategic Plan 2014-2023 (CCCSP) setting the vision and goals for the country to develop towards a green, low-carbon, climate-resilient, equitable, sustainable and knowledge-based economy. The CCCSP captures the main strategic objectives and directions for a climate-smart development of Cambodia in the period of ten years. It seeks to build synergies with existing government policies to ensure a strategic cohesion to address a wide range of climate change issues linked to adaptation, GHG mitigation, and low-carbon development.

The eight strategic objectives defined in the document are as follows: promote climate resilience through improving food, waterand energy security; reduce vulnerability of sectors, regions, gender and health 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 of the country; improve capacities, knowledge and awareness for climate change responses; promote adaptive social protection and participatory approaches in reducing loss and damage; strengthen institutions and coordination frameworks for national climate change responses; and strengthen collaboration and active participation in regional and global climate change processes.

Within the scope of the strategic plans were also put in place fifteen Climate Change Action Plans (CCAP) that further detail the executive missions of ministries with regard to climate change for the period 2014-2018. The CCAPs have been outlayed by executive officials with approval from the government and been signed by the ministers in charge. The plans have explicit details about budgetary implications and associate the Ministry of Economy and Finance by explaining what budget share allocated to each ministry should be used for enforcing the plans. They deal with agriculture, forestry and fisheries; disaster management; education; gender; public health; water resource and meteorology; rural infrastructure; transport; land management, urban planning and construction; information; tourism; industry and handicraft sectors; the environment; mines and energy. Each of the CCAP is an attempt to bring together economic or development objectives with climate change mitigation and adaptation.