9 May 2025, Phnom Penh, Cambodia – UN-Habitat Cambodia and the implementing partners organized a reflection workshop on achievements, lessons learned and experience under the Adaptation Fund Project in Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia.

Background

Since August 2021, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) have been implementing the Climate Change Adaptation through Protective Small-Scale Infrastructure Interventions in Coastal Settlements of Cambodia project, with financial support from the Adaptation Fund. The project aims to strengthen climate resilience and adaptation in Cambodia’s most vulnerable coastal settlements through targeted and on-the-ground interventions. Specifically, the project has built the capacity of sub-national authorities, commune leaders, and the target community residents on various topics from planning to pilot activities to enhance their climate resilience and adaptation capacity. These initiatives enhanced awareness and skills to operate, manage, and maintain hard investments, which the project constructed, rehabilitated, renovated, or repaired.

Workshop on sharing the project’s lessons learned

The project organized a reflection workshop on achievements, lessons learned and experience under the Adaptation Fund Project on 8 and 9 May 2025 in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

The workshop was presided over by His Excellency Pheav Sovuthy, Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment and Chair of the Project Management Committee. It was also attended by 83 (including 13 females) representatives from the national and sub-national governmental offices, UN-Habitat, and local stakeholders.

H.E. Pheav Sovuthy appreciated all stakeholders for continuous project activities, and also stressed the importance of sharing the project’s experiences and best practices in Cambodia’s the third Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) because it is the key document that forms innovative interventions in adapting to climate change and the foundation for mobilize additional climate finance.

The event was successful in having common updates of the project progress and the lessons learned from all stakeholders to improve future interventions. Besides, the participants also had a dialogue to prepare a statement for integrating the project’s good practices, lessons learned, and recommendations into NDC 3.0.

“This workshop highlights successful project practices and lessons learned from national and sub-national stakeholders to guide climate adaptation efforts under NDC 3.0 and other national policy frameworks that aim to build climate resilience and adaptation at climate-vulnerable coastal settlements of Cambodia”, said Mr. Vanna Sok, Country Programme Manager, UN-Habitat Cambodia.