Vulnerability assessment and adaptation programme for climate change within the coastal zone of Cambodia considering livelihood improvement and ecosystems
- Cambodia
ENTRY DATE: 09.03.2012 | LAST UPDATE: 09.03.2012
SCALE:
- Community Level
TARGET AREA:
- Rural
BEST PRACTICE IN:
- Capacity Building
- Governance
- Project Implementation
KEY SECTOR:
- Coastal Zone Management
FUNDING AMOUNT:
- USD 5,000,001 - USD 10,000,000
Description of Intervention
• On-the-ground investment in vulnerable areas to rehabilitate degraded mangrove forests;
• Introduce alternative livelihoods;
• Protect agricultural production systems;
• Raise awareness regarding climate change, its impacts and appropriate adaptation mechanisms; and
• Provision of policy advice and scientific tools for adaptation planning at the national and local levels.
Problems to be Addressed
Climate change is likely to further reduce agricultural productivity, hamper livelihoods and degrade productive and protective ecosystems. Coastal communities, district leaders, provincial leaders and national government presently lack the technical capacity, climate change knowledge, management capacity as well as the physical and financial resources to overcome and withstand the anticipated climate change-related threats. This capacity deficit and vulnerability to climate change impacts stems from the following underlying non-climate change-driven causes:
• High poverty levels;
• Dependence on rain-fed agriculture;
• Unsustainable use of natural resources;
• Weak coordination of coastal development activities; and
• Weak enforcement of policies.
Aims
Reduce coastal vulnerability to climate change impacts on agricultural systems and natural ecosystems within the coastal zone.
Objectives
To reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities to the impacts of climate change by strengthening policy and science, and demonstrating targeted local interventions to increase ecosystem resilience
How it fits into the EbA concept
The project will increase the resilience of coastal buffers to climate change and improve livelihoods of coastal communities by:
• Planting of trees on dune systems on the Peam Krasaop beach to stabilize sand and to protect mangrove ecosystems and vulnerable villages from increased storm activity; and
• Mangrove restoration of mudflats in the Peam Krasaop district to create coastal buffering against increased incidences of tropical cyclones, strong winds, sea-level rise and storm surges.