The Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Steering Committee meeting agreed to provide a potential additional US$7m in funding for Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), bringing the total CREWS portfolio in the two countries to US$12m.
Cambodia is one of the 30 countries chosen to accelerate the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Early Warnings for All initiative. The funding is intended to strengthen effective and risk-informed early warning services, especially against floods and droughts. This was the first time a meeting was held in “a Least Developed Country”.
Under the framework of CREWS Cambodia and Lao PDR project, WMO and its partners have supported the rollout of Early Warnings For All with a national workshop and the ongoing development of a national early warning roadmap. Progress to date includes an assessment of the capacities of the Departments of Meteorology and Hydrology and River Works, and an investment plan to cover key capacity gaps. Infrastructure priorities, such as the installation of a database management system and training of staff already enable better access to global and regional forecasts from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the European Center in Vietnam.
WMO is assisting the country by piloting flood early warning systems in three basins, with better monitoring, visualization of the risk and flood events and communication and preparedness by the local communities.
Following the high-level visit two technical workshops provided training on national flood and drought risk profiles. The workshops developed risk profiles for Cambodia and Lao PDR, with support from WMO’s Associated Programme on Flood Management partners CIMA Research Foundation and Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre with the active engagement of national agencies and universities.
The risk profile with probabilistic risk assessment provides potential impacts of flood and drought events in current and projected climate scenarios. The workshops presented the results of risk profiles and gathered recommendations for applying the results of risk profiles in sustainable development planning and disaster risk reduction measures.
Given the yearly flood and drought disasters, these risk profiles provide an in-depth understanding of potential risks and impacts in both countries. The risk profiles are crucial in supporting national agencies and ministries in identifying measures for preventing and mitigating disaster risks.
In total, six of the principal CREWS funding partners visited Cambodia and Lao PDR to gain first-hand experience with WMO pilot projects in community-based flood warnings. The delegation included climate ambassador Stephane Crouzat of France, CREWS chair Gerard Howe, UK, and delegates from Canada, Finland, Norway and Switzerland. The CREWS delegation met heads of national meteorological and hydrological services and ministers to understand how CREWS-funded projects are contributing to Early Warnings for All initiative.
In Cambodia, nearly 80% of the population lives in rural areas, and 65% rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Additionally, one-fifth of Cambodians are food deprived, which means they eat less than the minimum daily requirement of calories. The WMO highlights that floods and drought are regular occurrences and their frequency and intensity have increased due to the changing climate. Being able to monitor, predict and communicate on the occurrence of these extreme events and their impacts is therefore a priority for the authorities.
Seth Vannareth, advisor to the advisor, ministry of water resources and meteorology and permanent representative of Cambodia to WMO, said, “Due to climate change, disaster impacts have increased and there is a need for immediate action to prevent or manage risks. Being a climate researcher and weather forecaster, I would like to continue participating and supporting various activities of the CREWS project which is strengthening the preparedness and resilience capacities of Cambodia on early warning and early action.”
Jason Watkins, project officer at the WMO, commented, ‘’Working with national institutions to provide forecasts and risk profiles that allow the population to understand the potential impacts of floods and droughts and measures that need to be taken are key outputs for Early Warnings for All initiative in Cambodia and Lao PDR which WMO is leading with UNDRR following the UN secretary general mandate to cover everyone on this planet with early warning systems in the next five years.”
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