May 21, 2024
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RUCaS international team members Ben Furmage and Michael Simon spent a week in Cambodia with national team members and colleagues from the International Centre for Environmental Management to:
- Deliver training on benefit–cost analysis (BCA) for urban planning with the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction (MLMUPC)
- Progress case studies in Akreiy Ksatr (AK) and Battambang (BTB) by:
- conducting site visits with local authorities to better understand the current situation, climate impacts as well as future plans for the city and opportunities to apply nature-based solutions (NbS) concepts
- working with the Cambodian national team to refine NbS concepts and BCA calculations.
Building capacity to deliver nature-based solutions in Cambodia
Collaboration – a key pillar of the RUCaS program – was centre-stage at a recent training workshop on NbS and economic evaluation hosted by MLMUPC in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
261 people – experienced government representatives and the up and coming generation of practitioners and decision makers – explored how to incorporate NbS in urban contexts in Cambodia, the challenges of comparing NbS and conventional grey infrastructure, and how to apply BCA for different development options in master planning. The workshop, led by Ben Furmage, also involved some practical examples about how to conduct a BCA, how to move from a long list of options to a short list, and what to consider when looking at a full BCA. Our thanks to participants for their energy and enthusiasm.
We would particularly like to thank HE Tak Reth Sam Rach (Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers) and HE Dr Sophal Pen (Secretary of State for the MLMUPC) and their team. Our thanks to Mekong Australia Partnership, Mr Andreas Zurbrugg (Deputy Head of Mission), Mr Kang Sin (Senior Program Manager) and staff at the Australian Embassy, Cambodia for their support. And finally thanks to our regional and Cambodian team members Dr Song Ha Le, Dr Phanith Chou, Chamroeun Chreay, Monireth Toy and Sam Dickens (working through program partner International Centre for Environmental Management) and interpreters.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, and we’re moving straight into planning a follow-up technical workshop.
Akriey Ksatr
Progressing case studies that demonstrate nature-based solutions in practice
The mission was also an opportunity to progress the case studies applying NbS that are central to RUCaS:
- Akreiy Ksatr – With Municipal and MLMUPC staff, the RUCaS team visited road sections identified for upgrade and expansion, functioning floodplain habitats, rice fields and orchards, and a high school on the banks of the Mekong. The case study will demonstrate how NbS solutions can be applied in these contexts.
- Battambang – The RUCaS team met with the Deputy Governor and the Smart City Team, presenting draft renders for the city centre. We also visited potential road sections to demonstrate NbS concepts including in and around the new Japanese Park, riverfront and new Night Market district.
Our focus in the coming months will be on completing the case studies and identifying factors affecting the ability to upscale NbS and apply them more broadly throughout the region.
Download the mission report
From Cambodia, the team headed to Thailand. You can read about our activities in Thailand.
