Mekong River Commission Overview of Regional Policies for Climate Change and Adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin April 2017 Overview of Regional Policies on Climate Change and Adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin Published by The Mekong River Commission, Vientiane, Lao PDR, April 2017 Authors: Timmerman Jos, Nguyen Huong Thuy Phan and Thim Ly Cite this document as MRC. (2017). Overview of regional policies for climate change and adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin. Vientiane: Author. Disclaimer This report was prepared by agents on behalf of the Mekong River Commission. Although all effort is made to ensure that the information, opinions and analyses contained in this document are based on sources believed to be reliable, no representation, expressed or implied, is made guaranteeing accuracy, completeness or correctness. The opinion contained herein reflect the judgement of the authors and are subject to change without notice. The views and opinions of authors expressed do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Mekong River Commission, its agents or the Member Countries. Neither the Mekong River Commission, nor the Member Countries and any agency thereof, their employees, contractors, subcontractors or their employees, assume any legal liability or responsibility for the consequences of any third party’s use of the information, opinions, and analysis contained in this report. © Mekong River Commission 184 Fa Ngoum Road, Unit 18, Ban Sithane Neua, Sikhottabong District, Vientiane 01000, Lao PDR Telephone: (856-21)263 263; Fax: (856-21) 263 264 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.mrcmekong.org Seven Development Partners, including Australia, Denmark, European Union, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, and Sweden, provide financial support to the work of the Mekong River Commission’s Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative. This project and its publication would not have been possible without their kind support to which we owe our gratitude. ii Acknowledgement The authors would like to express sincere thanks to the national teams for their national policy reviews which provide the basis for this report: Excellency Kol Vathana and Dr Heng Chan Thoeun from Cambodia, Mr Sivannakone Malivarn and Dr Latdaphone Banchongphanith from Lao PDR, Dr Ekarut Archeewa and Dr Vute Wangwacharakul from Thailand, Dr Nguyen Anh Duc and Dr Dao Thanh Thuy from Viet Nam. We would also like to express our appreciation to Dr Anne Chaponniere and Mr Nadeem Samnakay for reviewing, commenting and providing input to this report. Special thanks are given to representatives of the Member Countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam) and MRC Programmes for providing comments during national and regional consultation processes to finalise this report. Overview of Regional Policies on Climate Change and Adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin Contents Tables iv Figures v Executive summary vi Abbreviations and acronyms xi 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Objectives 1 1.3 Scope 2 2 Review and analytical framework 3 2.1 Description of the policy analysis framework 3 2.2 How the framework is used for policy analysis 6 3 Climate change and adaptation related policies at national level 8 3.1 Cambodia 8 3.1.1 Policy setting 9 3.1.2 Legal setting 12 3.1.3 Institutional setting and capacity development 13 3.1.4 Information sources 15 3.1.5 Financial system 16 3.2 Lao PDR 17 3.2.1 Policy setting 17 3.2.2 Legal setting 19 3.2.3 Institutional setting and capacity development 21 3.2.4 Information sources 22 3.2.5 Financial system 23 3.3 Thailand 23 3.3.1 Policy setting 25 3.3.2 Legal setting 28 3.3.3 Institutional setting and capacity development 29 3.3.4 Information sources 31 3.3.5 Financial system 32 3.4 Viet Nam 33 3.4.1 Policy setting 33 3.4.2 Legal setting 38 3.4.3 Institutional setting and capacity development 40 3.4.4 Information sources 43 ii Policy Analysis on Climate Change and Adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin 3.4.5 Financial system 43 3.5 Overview and provisions for addressing climate change adaptation at basin level 44 3.5.1 Overview 44 3.5.2 Provisions for addressing climate change adaptation at basin level 49 4 Climate change and adaptation related policies at regional and international levels 50 4.1 Mekong River Commission 50 4.1.1 Policy setting 51 4.1.2 Legal setting 52 4.1.3 Institutional setting and capacity building 53 4.1.4 Information system 55 4.1.5 Financial system 56 4.2 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 56 4.2.1 Policy setting 56 4.2.2 Legal setting 58 4.2.3 Institutional setting and capacity building 59 4.2.4 Information and financial system 61 4.2.5 Financial system 61 4.3 Other regional initiatives 61 4.3.1 Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Programme 61 4.3.2 Lancang – Mekong Cooperation (LMC) 64 4.4 International agreements 65 4.4.1 Paris Agreement 65 4.4.2 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 67 4.4.3 Sendai Framework 69 4.5 Overview and provisions for transboundary climate change adaptation at regional level 70 4.5.1 Overview 70 4.5.2 Provisions for addressing climate change adaptation at basin level 72 5 Conclusions and implications for Mekong Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (MASAP) 73 6 References 75 iii Overview of Regional Policies on Climate Change and Adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin Tables Table 1 Members of the National Climate Change Committee in Cambodia 14 Table 2 Working groups under the Climate Change Office and responsible ministry in Lao PDR 21 Table 3 Members of the National Committee on Climate Change in Viet Nam 40 Table 4 Composition of the Viet Nam National Mekong Committee 42 Table 5 Overview of policy, legal and institutional setting on climate change and adaptation in the four MRC Member Countries 46 Table 6 Major groups/types of data and information required for implementation of the MRC activities and the 1995 Mekong Agreement 55 Table 7 Principles of cooperation in ASEAN 58 Table 8 The Paris agreement 66 Table 9 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 67 Table 10 The Sendai framework 69 iv Policy Analysis on Climate Change and Adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin Figures Figure 1 Institutional Framework for Climate Change in Cambodia CCD/MoE (2014). 14 Figure 2 Organization of Secretary of the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) in Cambodia (RGC 2015). 15 Figure 3 The flow of climate change finance on a linear trend between the baseline (2013) and 2018 in Cambodia (MoE 2014). 16 Figure 4 National level policy and legal objectives issue screening in Lao PDR (Banchongphanith 2015) 21 Figure 5 Structure of the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan preparation process in Thailand 26 Figure 6 Structure of water resource policy and management in Thailand 30 Figure 7 Institutions related to Climate Change in Thailand 31 Figure 8 Policies and Strategies on Climate Change in Viet Nam (MoNRE 2014) 36 Figure 9 Organizational Structure of State Management on Climate Change in Viet Nam 41 Figure 10 Mekong River Commission Governance structure (MRC 2016a, b) 54 Figure 11 GMS organisational structure (ADB 2012) 64 v Overview of Regional Policies on Climate Change and Adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin Executive summary Background To support the Member Countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam to enhance their capacity in addressing transboundary impacts of climate change and needs for transboundary adaptation, in 2015-2016 the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative (CCAI) conducted the formulation of a Mekong Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (MASAP). The MASAP sets out strategic priorities and actions to address climate change risks at the basin level. Implementing the MASAP will strengthen basin-wide resilience and contribute to ensuring sustainable development of the Mekong River Basin in line with the 1995 Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin (the 1995 Mekong Agreement). In the process of formulation of the MASAP the first important step is to conduct a policy analysis of climate change and adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB). The policy analysis aims to ensure that the MASAP is consistent with and does not contradict to the national climate change policies of the Member Countries. In addition, the policy analysis will briefly describe related international or global policies and agreements that have some implications for the MASAP. This report presents the result of the policy analysis which was performed by an expert team consisting of the MRC Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative (CCAI) team, four national experts from the respective countries and an international expert. With the support from the four national CCAI coordinators, the four national experts developed a national policy analysis report for their respective country. This report is prepared on the basis of these national reports and rounds of national and regional consultations conducted during 2014-2016. Scope and Analytical Framework While transboundary water management in the context of climate change is at the heart of the MASAP, this policy analysis looks at policies, legislation and institutional arrangements at both national and regional levels in water and water related sectors. At national level, this analysis covers the fields of water management, land use management, hydropower, food security – agriculture and fisheries, and climate change. At regional level the analysis reviews the policies of two organisations, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and some regional programmes and initiatives including Lancang Mekong Cooperation (LMC) and Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) programme.