22 March 2023, Yangon, Myanmar – Climate change remains today, in Myanmar and throughout the world, an existential threat. UN-Habitat, in collaboration with other development partners, is organizing Myanmar Climate Action Week 2023 (MCAW 2023) to advocate and promote joint climate action to address the pressing challenges of climate change in Myanmar.

A hybrid opening session and launch of the Myanmar Climate Action Network (M-CAN) was held on March 21, 2023, in Yangon. 90 in-person participants and over 100 participants joined virtually from different climate actors, including UN agencies, NGOs, and CSOs.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Catarina Camarinhas, Country Programme Manager of UN-Habitat in Myanmar, referred to the importance of continuing to help communities adapt and build resilience to the worst impacts of climate change, particularly at the grassroots level, where the vulnerable communities are at the forefront of impacts of climate change. “It is important to pay attention to some of the root causes for climate change. But particularly for Myanmar, it is important to enhance our resilience to its effects – and not only talk about it, but walk about it. Our hope is that we turn this climate talk into a climate walk.”

This event marked the formal launch of the Myanmar Climate Action Network (M-CAN). An initiative of UN-Habitat, M-CAN is a network of more than 20 non-state climate actors in Myanmar who have voluntarily committed to address the challenges by moving beyond climate discourse to climate action and advocacy for these actions.

During the event, participants were introduced to M-CAN and had the opportunity to learn about the climate risk outlook at global and regional levels, key ongoing programs in the Asia-Pacific region, challenges faced by least-developed countries (LDCs), and an overview of climate risk and opportunities in Myanmar. Following that, a panel discussion was conducted with national and international experts and discussed the implications and a way forward for M-CAN on the impact of climate change in Myanmar.

A virtual platform for online engagement and exchange on climate action in Myanmar was also introduced where you may learn more about M-CAN, exchange knowledge and information, revisit past webinars, and participate in future events.

Speakers:

Bernhard Barth, Human Settlements Officer, UN-Habitat

Manjeet Dhakal, Director, Climate Analytics, South Asia

U Maung Maung Than, Country Director for Myanmar, RECOFTC

Moderator: Shashank Mishra, Programme Specialist (MCCA), UN-Habitat

Panel members:

Hang Dal, Head of Climate and Energy, WWF-Myanmar

Su Mon Htay, Director of Human Resources and Administration, Plan International

Denis Schaefer, Team Leader, Prevent Plastics Myanmar U Aung Thant Zin, CEO, Myanmar Environmental Rehabilitation-conservation Network (MERN)