Cambodian PM wants climate finance pledges fulfilled

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. - AFP

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on developed countries to fulfill their climate finance commitments to help developing countries combat climate change.

Hun Sen made the remarks during the Climate Ambition Summit via videoconference on Saturday and his speech was released to the media on Monday (Dec 14).

"We all agree that climate change is real," he said. "Many countries have been impacted directly, including Cambodia that has just recently experienced flooding."

The prime minister said although Cambodia has less greenhouse gas emissions at the global level, the kingdom is highly committed to combating climate change according to its capacity and available resources.

He said in the Nationally Determined Contributions Update, which will be submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat at the end of this year, Cambodia has incorporated a new and specific target, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas by 38.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, including sectors such as forestry, waste and agriculture, or equal to 18 per cent reduction compared to Business-As-Usual scenario by 2030.

"This new target also includes 25 per cent electricity generation from renewable energy in the Energy Mix by 2030," he said.

Hun Sen said climate change is a cross-cutting issue that needs to be addressed through a comprehensive solution package balancing between social, economic and environmental dimensions.

He added that addressing the challenges to climate change effectively will significantly contribute to sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development in the future.

In this regard, he said, climate change is a common challenge that each country must take concerted action and fulfill the obligations agreed in the existing strategic action plans, mechanisms and agreements.

"As a country with high responsibility to minimize the impacts of climate change, Cambodia is committed to formulating a long-term strategy in 2021 to achieve carbon neutrality," Hun Sen said.

"To ensure successful implementation of this long-term strategy, Cambodia would like to appeal to all developed countries to fulfill the promised obligations, both in providing financial support and technology transfers," he said.