The country of Cambodia faces a grave issue regarding Climate change and the global economy. According to world bank data for the past 16 years, the level of CO2 emissions measured in metric tons per capita have been growing exponentially since the year of 2002.

In 2002 the level of carbon emission was.175 and in as recent as 2014 has risen to .438.

The continuing rise of carbon emission continues to have extremely harmful effects on not only the environment but the global economy as a whole. The rise of carbon emissions causes temperatures rises adding to the current crisis of global warming which threatens the economic prosperity of  Cambodia. Cambodia relies heavily on their production of rice and fish and due to the increase in temperatures these sources of production are threatened and are steadily declining. “Data from the last five years indicates that rice production loss in Cambodia was mainly due to the occurrence of flooding (more than 70% loss) and followed by drought (about 20% loss) and others such as pest and diseases (10% loss). As well as losses from extreme events, climate change may also decrease yields of staple crops such as rice by the end of the century15. In addition, although rainfall regionally is expected to increase, increasing temperatures will increase evapotranspiration and reduce soil water availability, increasing the severity of droughts when they do occur. An increase in the number of flash floods can be expected due to the likely increase in intensity of rainfall.

Significant uncertainty over the response of the monsoon system to climate change means that larger impacts should not be ruled out.” (Sida’s Environmental Economics Help Desk) The Cambodian export of rice and fish are an integral part of not only the Cambodian economy but also has an impact on the global economy as well. Cambodia accounts for 2.2% of the global exports for Rice according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. This proves the point that the issue regarding climate change is directly intertwined with global economy of Cambogia. In order to resolve this issue in the most effective way possible, all plans of actions must be regulated and supervised by the government of Cambodia itself.

This is to ensure that they are able to help develop and implement the most effective plan for themselves and to go through this process with the least amount of conflict possible. Cambodia already has created a plan of action in place to deal with climate change which is called the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance (CCCA). According to Department of Climate Change, the main aspects of the CCCA are that they are trying to increase the capacity and monitoring of the plans that are going to be implemented. Additionally, they are actively trying to improve access to information to climate change across all levels, mobilize the ability to operate the funds, to create plans of action for people living in coastal communities and to make sure there is consensus amongst all the partnering countries of Cambogia as well as within the nation itself. The plan touches all the important bases for dealing with climate change however in order to maximize results there are auditions that can be made to their current policy.

This alliance has helped greatly in organizing the people of Cambodia and helping them come to solutions in how to deal with climate change. However as effective as this council is there are certain precautions and measures that should be implemented in order to not only limit the damage of climate change but prevent it in the future. Within the CCCA one of their results was increased access to information on climate change, however, to build on this Cambodia should either focus on implementing a section in their school curriculum or attempting to reach out to the youth to have them better understand the repercussions of climate change and how it negatively affects the prosperity of the nation. “.

..currently, the educational system is run by the Cambodian state, but private education exists at all levels and is run by private sectors. Most private schools offering pre-school education and general education have been operated by the communities of ethnic and religious minority including Chinese, Muslim, French, English, and Vietnamese. Private higher education is accessible mainly in the capital of the country, but it is also available throughout the provinces of Cambodia. Cambodian general education is based on a national school curriculum that consists of two main parts: basic education and upper secondary education.

Basic education curriculum is divided into three cycles of three years each.”(Bookbridge Foundation) The  Cambodian government can establish a state law in which private sectors must implement a section in their curriculum to teach the children in the importance of climate change and how it can negatively affect the progress of the nation. Through focusing on educating the youth on these prevalent issues Cambodia will as a nation and the next generation be focused on the issue of climate and change and will actively become involved in trying to solve these issues. In addition the increased education of the youth on the topic of climate change in Cambodia can help to advance the nation as whole by cultivating  a new generation of innovative thinkers who can provide the nation with the advancements they need to evolve from one the world’s least developed countries having to rely on larger more developed countries to an independent nation that can add to the competition of the global market and help contribute more to the global economy.

In order to implement this system, Cambodia may require some financial support which they could find in the funding for the  CCCA. The implementation of this system has the potential to solve the problem of climate change in Cambodia without harming the global economy. This also caters to the specific needs of Cambodia by not only helping to push for a solution to climate change but also helping to develop the nation itself. Cambodia already has a strong foundation and plan of action regarding climate change and the process of dealing with it while keeping the global economy in mind. However, there are some additions that can be made to help the steer the country into not just dealing with the repercussion of climate change but towards developing a solution for it. This can all be done with respect to the Cambodian government and can also further develop the global trade of the nation as well.