Thursday, 3 June 2010

Caritas helps Cambodia tackle climate change


Caritas is working with people in Cambodia to raise awareness of climate change (Photo by Michael Coyne)

via CAAI News Media

June 2, 2010

Caritas Cambodia is working with local people to raise awareness of climate change as well as hold training on disaster prevention, says its disaster management officer.

“Climate change is a collective challenge so we all have to join our hands together to deal with it,” said Sok Sakhan.

“We are currently working with local people regardless of religion background,” aided by funding from the Catholic bishops’ conference, he said.

Sakhan was speaking on the sidelines of a June 1 seminar in Phnom Penh jointly organized by Caritas, the Ministry of the Environment, and NGOs such as UNDP, Oxfam and UNESCO.

Climate change is an urgent issue faced by the world, so strategies to address this and education for sustainable development are important issues for Cambodians, Ou Sunvann, from the environment ministry, said at the event.

“Cambodia is one of the least developed countries and most vulnerable to the negative impact of climate change.”

Sunvann thanked Caritas, a member of the Climate Change Network comprising 45 NGOs, and the other organizers for helping to host the seminar.

About 100 people, including environmentalist, members of government institutions, NGOs and benefactors attended the seminar aimed at discussing strategies to deal with climate change.

“Climate change hampers Cambodia’s development efforts and will increase the vulnerability of the poor, especially local farmers, if there is no clear adaptation plan,” said Chhith Sam Ath, executive director of The NGO Forum on Cambodia.

Cambodia suffers from frequent flooding, droughts and cyclones.

Source: ucanews.com

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