PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Cambodia is a "victim" of climate change, and developed countries should shoulder more responsibility in reversing the effects of global warming, said Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Developing countries like Cambodia have been severely affected by climate change and lack the resources to tackle the problem on their own, Hun Sen said at the opening ceremony Monday at the country's first National Forum on Climate Change.
"The rich countries should be more responsible, as they have more resources to settle this matter. Cambodia is not the country responsible for climate change but is the victim. … The huge countries should not blame less-developed countries," he said.
Hun Sen said rising temperatures, shifts in rainfall patterns and surging sea levels would only continue to hit developing countries like Cambodia the hardest.
"Developed countries certainly must accept most of the blame for causing the problem," Geoffrey Blate, climate change coordinator for the Greater Mekong program of the conservation group WWF, told the Phnom Penh Post. "At the same time, Cambodia can and should take immediate steps to address climate change. The problem is global in scope."
Hun Sen noted that in 2006 Cambodia implemented a program of climate change adaptation, which includes 39 projects to respond to the immediate needs of its communities. The premier said he was encouraged that the European Union is considering a budget of $2 billion to $15 billion annually to help poor countries implement their climate change adaption measures.
Hun Sen's comments come ahead of December's climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, in which world leaders will attempt to strike a new global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
Observers at the Cambodia forum said they hoped it would help bolster the country's bargaining position ahead of the Copenhagen talks. Ministry of Environment officials are expected to present Cambodia's draft position on climate change at the forum's conclusion on Wednesday.
"Cambodia needs to have a strong voice in international negotiations and demand that developed countries meet their historical responsibility and provide financing for adaptation," said Brian Lund, regional director of Oxfam's East Asia office, the Post reports.
Cambodia's Environment Minister Mok Mareth linked climate change to devastating weather events over the past two decades.
From 1987 to 2007 the country experienced 12 floods that claimed the lives of 1,125 people and caused $300 million in damages, Mareth said. The country also faced five severe droughts, causing $140 million in damages, he said.
Developing countries like Cambodia have been severely affected by climate change and lack the resources to tackle the problem on their own, Hun Sen said at the opening ceremony Monday at the country's first National Forum on Climate Change.
"The rich countries should be more responsible, as they have more resources to settle this matter. Cambodia is not the country responsible for climate change but is the victim. … The huge countries should not blame less-developed countries," he said.
Hun Sen said rising temperatures, shifts in rainfall patterns and surging sea levels would only continue to hit developing countries like Cambodia the hardest.
"Developed countries certainly must accept most of the blame for causing the problem," Geoffrey Blate, climate change coordinator for the Greater Mekong program of the conservation group WWF, told the Phnom Penh Post. "At the same time, Cambodia can and should take immediate steps to address climate change. The problem is global in scope."
Hun Sen noted that in 2006 Cambodia implemented a program of climate change adaptation, which includes 39 projects to respond to the immediate needs of its communities. The premier said he was encouraged that the European Union is considering a budget of $2 billion to $15 billion annually to help poor countries implement their climate change adaption measures.
Hun Sen's comments come ahead of December's climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, in which world leaders will attempt to strike a new global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
Observers at the Cambodia forum said they hoped it would help bolster the country's bargaining position ahead of the Copenhagen talks. Ministry of Environment officials are expected to present Cambodia's draft position on climate change at the forum's conclusion on Wednesday.
"Cambodia needs to have a strong voice in international negotiations and demand that developed countries meet their historical responsibility and provide financing for adaptation," said Brian Lund, regional director of Oxfam's East Asia office, the Post reports.
Cambodia's Environment Minister Mok Mareth linked climate change to devastating weather events over the past two decades.
From 1987 to 2007 the country experienced 12 floods that claimed the lives of 1,125 people and caused $300 million in damages, Mareth said. The country also faced five severe droughts, causing $140 million in damages, he said.
12 comments:
Dear PM.
stop cutting forest will be a good start.
best regard
He just learns this word after 40% of Cambodia's trees have been stolen by his families and comrades.
Good views3:16am
Just stop selling and destroying the natural resource so you will not be the victims of that climate change.
Deforestation is a Cambodian issue for current and for future Cambodians.
What Cambodia does and does not do is not important in the Global Warming issue. She too small. The major CO2 producers bear full responsability.
Cambodia would be less a victim of Global Warming if Hun Sen and his cronies did not cut down all those trees.
Trees and forests help block winds and soak rain water not to mention providing resource for the poors. Without forest, rain becomes a raging river when land become denuded.
Listen to AH HUN SEN regarding the climate change make me laugh! This is what happen when our Cambodian people leaders got their PhD from Hanoi!
First of all the climate change is just part of nature cycle to bring thing into balance! There are both nature and human causes that contribute to climate change such as the volcano, methane gas from the bottom of the ocean, human who breathe out CO2, cow breathe out methane gas, garbage dump can also produce methane gas and of course the human causes are the coal power plants, car run on gasoline...
AH HUN SEN is better off talking about raising the standard of living for Cambodian people in the field of health,education, and housing and the use of land...Stupid Cambodian government needs to come up with a better plan to save Cambodian people in natural disasters such as this and stop blame other countries because the whole world in one way or another were affected this so called climate change!
Dear Mr. PM Hun Sen, please stop Yeay Phu, rich tycoon, ek O'dumbass, and the rest of high drunken officials to stop chopping down all them "TREES" throughout cambodia...that's would help the climate change alittle abit moron...
Som ach Xen,
Cambodia is your victim.The world fed and assisted you to lead and defend Cambodia in a civil way.But you and family of robbers plundered Cambodia and people livelihood.
Don't blame the sky,blame your imbecile government,Som ach of idiots.
4:56 AM,
To add to your say.
The forests ABSORB CO2 to synthese into carbohydrate to feed on, and to produce Tubers and fruits.
Do Ah Hun Khvang replant the same species of trees back, while he did. does, and will clear down the forests ???
NONE !!!
Cambodia never face this kind of weird weather before, i think it has something to do with clearing forest, cambodia is very safe and never had any problems from the past, specially with huge floods, strange storms, our country still has illegally logging going on everyday by rich powerful family that associated with high ranking officials....
former park ranger..
Chhor phnom kravanh and Thma bang are the worst, there's some rich powerful family called "MOM" this lady don't care or scared any authority at all, and it's seems that she paying big$$ to shut them off...alot of good quality of woods at Chhor phnom Kravanh....
Vietnam willing to pay top $dollars for good quality of woods....
yelling for more money?? how much more aid enught is enought? when money keep going to a really deep goverment officer pocket?? and how long does it take to finish all these development? 100 year 200 year?? hahaha some people would be living at the moon by then.
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