Mekong River Commission Secretariat

Mekong River Commission (MRC)

Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative (CCAI)

 

The 1^st Meeting of Climate Change Adaptation Demonstration Projects
in the Lower Mekong Basin sharing lessons and experiences

Lotus Ballroom, Rex Hotel,
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
21-22 July 2011

 

	Date: 21 - 22 July, 2011 Venue and Hotel: Lotus Ballroom, Rex Hotel , Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (http://www.rexhotelvietnam.com) Registration: All participants, both personally invited and applicants for open registration, are kindly requested to send their completed registration form, at their earliest convenience, but before 13 July 2011. Registration for the meeting is free of charge. Financial support for travel is limited.   Concept note and Programme: The final programme and presentations The meeting is organised in 2-day providing keynote presentations, presentations on climate change adaptation – good practices, and panel discussions.   The meeting document consisted of concept note, agenda, abstracts of presentation and list of participants. Contact the organiser: Ms. Tatirose Vijitpan Programme Officer Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative Environment Division Mekong River Commission (MRC) Tel: (856-21)-263-263 Ext: 3702 Fax: (856-21)-263-264 Email: tatirose@mrcmekong.org Dr. Chanon Thaicharoen Technical Officer Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative Environment Division Mekong River Commission (MRC) Tel: (856-21)-263-263 Ext: 3705 Fax: (856-21)-263-264 Email: chanon@mrcmekong.org

Background

Over the past few decades, the countries in the Lower Mekong Basin have witnessed a number of natural disasters. The assessment from the Mekong River Commission (MRC) on impacts of climate change and development in the Mekong flow regimes released in 2009 indicates that countries in the Mekong region are predicted to face difficulties concerning various forms of impacts from climate change. The results are similar to other scientific studies and climate models, which point out a wide range of anticipated impacts of climate change in the region. These include changing of temperature and rainfall patterns, sea level rise, increased intensity of storms, floods and droughts.

These impacts would affect the economy and development of the riparian countries as well as the people’s way of life and livelihoods. Eventually, these would be contributing factors to exacerbate poverty and impeding the efforts to improve quality of life. Moreover, impacts of climate change do not lie within each sovereign national boundary. Thus, there is a need to exchange knowledge, experience, approaches on planning and implementation of adaptation to climate change, in order to benefit all the lives depending on the Mekong.

In the Lower Mekong Basin, there have been efforts from various organisations concerning climate change adaptation planning and implementation. These activities are carried out by government agencies, international organisations, local-based organisations as well as the vulnerable communities themselves.

The MRC has developed the Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative in order to assist the riparian countries in adaptation planning and implementation. Demonstration activities are one of the key activities aiming at building capacities through a learning and knowledge and experience sharing process involving local communities and local wisdom.     

The main purpose of this meeting is to provide a platform for the practitioners to exchange experiences and learn from other existing and/or planned adaptation actions in the Lower Mekong Basin. This meeting serves as the platform for practitioners engaged in climate change adaptation activities to come together to exchange and learn about the approaches, tools, challenges, and key adaptation options from other projects. This would contribute to the enhancement of adaptive capacity and facilitate replication of good practices throughout the region. Additionally, discussions on integrating climate adaptation into local development planning, possible replication and up-scaling of adaptation strategies would contribute to region-wide networking on climate change adaptation planning and implementation. Such regional networking of local climate change adaptation demonstration projects will provide an opportunity for testing, building capacity, demonstration and exchange as well as monitoring climate change in different settings throughout the basin. Eventually, it would help avoiding further aggravation of the adverse impacts on the lives and the assets in the region.

Main objectives

1. To provide an opportunity for the practitioners to share practices, tools, experiences, lessons learned and challenges as well as to exchange knowledge on planning and implementing adaptation activities to climate change within the Lower Mekong region;  and
2. To provide networking opportunities that facilitate further cooperation, replication and up-scaling of climate change adaptation activities

Expected outputs

1. Improved knowledge and awareness on climate change adaptation activities and identification of adaptation approaches and practices with potential for replication and up-scaling;
2. Strengthened regional cooperation and network to enhance regional and national adaptation actions;
3. Inspiration and motivation on adaptation actions from good practices; and
4. A Technical Paper aimed at promoting continued debate and dialogue about climate change adaptation based on lessons, practices and responding to the challenges facing climate change adaptation demonstration projects in the Mekong Region.

Participants

The meeting gathered 122 participants, comprised of senior government officials of the MRC member states, climate change national focal points in LMB countries, international experts, private sector, development partners and especially practitioners who work on demonstration projects in climate change adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin. Click here for the list of participants.

 

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