Publication

The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) covers an area of approximately 606,000 km2 within the countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Based on the outcomes of recent national and regional studies, there is growing concern about the potential effects of climate change on the socio-economic characteristics and natural resources of the LMB region. There is an identified need for a more informed understanding of the potential impacts from climate change.

In response, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) has launched the regional Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative (CCAI). The CCAI is a collaborative regional initiative designed to address the shared climate change adaptation challenges of LMB countries. The Regional Synthesis Report (RSR) has been prepared as part of the initial phase of the CCAI to provide a snapshot of current knowledge and activities related to climate change in the LMB countries. The specific objectives of the RSR are:

• To inform a wide audience of the current state of knowledge of climate change issues in LMB countries and across the region;

• To provide up to date information on regional and national adaptation activities and policy and institutional responses in relation to climate change;

• To present the results of a climate change ‘gap analysis’ identifying information deficiencies and shortcomings in planned activities and policy and institutional responses;

• To present a series of recommendations for future climate change related actions in the LMB.