Last updated: June 2024
Battambang is projected to experience significant effects of climate change that will have a range of impacts including changes to hydrology and the frequency and intensity of flooding and droughts. As part of an Asian Development Bank project, a technical Climate Change Core Group was established to ensure that representatives from key sectors and levels of government work together to build resilience for the town and prepare the residents for the inevitable climate change impacts in the future. Three infrastructure systems in Battambang were identified for detailed vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning by the climate change Core Group; a) a long canal system to the west of the town, b) the riverbanks near the Sor Kheng Bridge in the centre of town, c) the train station and surrounding wetlands and settlements in the centre of town. [1, 2]
Battambang Case Study areas
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Parks and urban forests
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
1. Revising the town development mission, identify climate change hotspots, identify development controls and safeguards.
2. To create a green belt for the town that can be used for a variety of purposes.
3. To create natural stormwater and flood management, bio-retention and pollution treatment.
4. To develop the river embankment to be multipurpose where people can interact and socialise with each other and is resilient to flood and erosion through the application of bioengineering approaches for infrastructure development [1, 2]
Implementation activities
1. Documenting past extreme events and regular flooding through participatory mapping with detailed information for various flood zones on duration, depth and source – localised rainfall and/or river overtopping.
2. Defining the climate change profile for the site based on modelling results from ICEM and supper imposing those on the past extremes map.
3. Revising the past extremes map to identify the town climate change hot spots.
4. Creation of bioengineered terraces with each level (above and below river bridge) serving different purposes of recreation and leisure, commercial and subsistence uses and stepwise flood protection.
5. Establish a tiered series of benches on both sides of the river using a mix of hard and soft bioengineering to protect against bank erosion and to facilitate multiple uses of the banks and river including access for recreation, tourism, fisheries and agriculture.
6. Tree plantation and creation of public green space areas including small parks. [1, 2]
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Multilateral organisation
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project is led by the Asian Development Bank, the Battambang Core Group, which includes the Provincial Governor, line department and senior town officials. [1, 2]
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
( National policy on climate change adaptation [2])
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The Battambang Development Master Plan (2008-2020) [2])
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Multilateral funds/international funding
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Environmental quality
- Improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Economic impacts
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Safety
- Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Asian Development Bank. (2016). Nature-based solutions for building resilience in towns and cities: Case studies from the Greater Mekong Subregion. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Asian Development Bank. URL: Source link. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
2. ADB. (2015). Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186). URL: Source link. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
3. ICEM (2017). resilient-cities-regional-workshop-report. URL: Source link. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
2. ADB. (2015). Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186). URL: Source link. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
3. ICEM (2017). resilient-cities-regional-workshop-report. URL: Source link. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
Bioengineering adaptation method
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).
Battambang canal system
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).
Battambang adaptation planning
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the UNA global extension project funded by the British Academy.