2008-06-18 11:29:08 - Tourism is main sector accelerating economic activities in Cambodia, but at the same time it also harms the natural environment through especially transportation sector. National Ecotourism Policy, recently drafted by the Ministry of Tourism in Cambodia, helps play important role in responding to the Climate Change which is the hot global issue.

Cambodia has just adopted the first national ecotourism policy. One of the policy's objectives is to respond to the climate change, which has recently become global hot issue. The article mainly discuss about the climate change in Cambodia (www.tourismindochina.com/history-cambodia.htm) and how ecotourism policy responds to the impacts and the limitation to the respond of climate change.
Ecotourism is highly climate sensitive

sector. Tourist love good weather. If the weather is too hot or too cool, tourists will find it difficult to travel. However, with the recent climate change phenomenon, our world has experience many extreme weather hazards such as storm, flood, drought and many natural disasters, all of which have many negative impacts on tourism and this require tourism policy makers, planner and developer to take precaution measure to cope with the climate change.
There is no exception for Cambodia. Though it has had a good weather with the temperature from 22c to 30c, tropical monsoon divided by two seasons: summer and wets and has never experienced many serve storm like other countries in the region, with reason trends of climate change, the country has also experience the impacts of climate change, namely drought and flood, which is commonly happen in some part of the country every year. Their impacts include the destructions of infrastructure; crops, property, livestock and loss of people live (MoE, 2006).
The planet's climate is naturally dynamic always changing. However, human activities have worsened the situation by releasing greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere, which cause climate to change unpredictably. Specifically, Carbon dioxide (CO2) is produce when the fossil fuels are used to generate energy or when forest are cut down and burned. Tourism sector, especially transportation and accommodation (www.tourismindochina.com/cambodia-hotels.php?pn=hp2&tc=t2) have a significant contribution to the overall global CO2 emission. Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (NO2) are emitted through agricultural activities, change in land use and other sources.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Cambodia has a net total carbon removable of 5, 142 Kg of CO2 equivalent in 1996 (MoE, 1997). The main source of carbon dioxide emission is was the land use change and forest sector (97%) follow by the energy (3%).
In respond to the climate change, the Royal Government of Cambodia has ratified the United Nation Framework Conservation on Climate change (UNFCCC) on 18 December 1995. Consequently on 18 June December 2003, Cambodia Climate Change Office (CCCO) was established under Ministry of Environment to 1) assess, monitor, advice the government on climate change related issues, 2) educate public about climate change, its causes, adaptation and mitigations, 3) work closely with relevant public and private agencies to mainstream climate change concept to concern sectors.
The Nation Adaptation Program of Action to Climate Change (NAPA) was developed in 2006. The program focuses on three main areas such as capacity building, training, awareness raising / education and infrastructure development. The program has identified and prioritized four major sectors, namely agriculture, forestry, human health and coastal zone since these sectors are vulnerable to climate change in Cambodia.
According to UNWTO- UNEPWMO (2008) tourism at the global level produced from 5 to 14 % of global CO2 emission through transportation, accommodation and other tourism activities. This is considering being relatively high if compared to the other sectors.
However, if sustainable tourism development is adopted and used, it can be a solution to climate change by reducing its greenhouse gases emission and educate community, industry and tourists to prepare and adapt to the change of climate and protecting and conserving forest and environment (Simpson et al., 2008).
By recognizing the potential of tourism and with technical support from SNV-Netherlands Development Organization, the Ministry of Tourism has recently drafted a national ecotourism policy and now it is being reviewed by the Minister of Councils. The national ecotourism policy has stated a number of points, which are relatively important to climate change. First, the policy has provided ecotourism definition, which is very supportive to conservation of natural resource. By its definition, ecotourism is a nature based tourism that aim to conserve natural environment and local cultures and enhance the livelihoods of Cambodian people as well as the visitors experience ( MoT 2007). The definition has highlighted the important of conservation.
Second, the policy has clearly stated that tourism development must strive to protect and conserve natural resource on which it largely depends. Specifically, ecotourism contribute to protection of forest, which is important to climate stabilization. Besides, being attraction for tourist to enjoy and appropriate, forest plays important role in providing ecological function. Ecologically, forest contributes to stabilizing the climate, ecosystem preservation and biodiversity conservation and protection of storm, flood, and drought.
In this regard, the policy has recognized the importance of forest in stabilizing the climate and has called for specific action plan to enhance forest and natural environment. Third, the policy has called for the industry to reduce CO2 emission by using local resources where it is appropriate, saving energy and recycling. Regarding to this point, ecotourism would be a good solution for climate change. By its nature, eco-tourist may like to walk along the trail rather than riding vehicles on the pave road. They may stay in a simple accommodation or even in open windows, or not in room using air-con. Many ecotourism sites use solar power rather than diesel engine.
Four, the policy has incentive by providing 'Green Label', which is a highly recognized award to those who fallow eco-friendly practice. The incentive are meant to encourage the industry to help preserve environment and respond to climate change.
Fifth, ecotourism is a good way to promote environmental education and awareness to both hosts and guests. By traveling to the natural area, tourists learn about the appropriate and understand the importance of nature. The more they understand about the environment, the more they contribute to the conservation cost. According to SNV survey in 2007, most international tourists willing to pay more when they visit nature based areas and protected areas in Cambodia. In this regard the national ecotourism policy must strive to educate and raise awareness about environment to both community and visitors.
Sixth, ecotourism has high financial potential for natural conservation through entrance free, levies, concession and other economic activities. By seeing this potential, the policy has a clear statement to use economic benefit from ecotourism wisely for the benefit of environmental conservation and community livelihood. The policy has called for the specific and fair benefit-sharing guideline
Last but not least, the policy has recognized risk management as one of the most importance mechanism management in its mandate.

By Yin Soriya

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