Status Climate Change Strategy
and Implementation,
Lao PDR
Mr. Sivannakone Malivarn
CCAI Lao National Coordinator
Director of GMS Cooperation Division
Lao National Mekong Committee, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Lao PDR
Outlines
1. Climate Change impact in Laos;
2. Institutional responsible;
3. Key achievement on Climate Change Policies and Plans;
4. Key Challenges.
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
1. Types of Hazards in Lao PDR
 A hazard assessment conducted in 2011 identified the country as being most prone to the following
hazards:
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Drought
Flood
Storm
Epidemic

UXO
Landslide
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Earthquake
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Although Lao doesn’t have major hazard events, recurrent hazards pose the biggest problems, leading
to losses every year and creating maladaptive coping mechanisms in communities.
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Hazards in Lao PDR, continued
 Recurrent hazards, such as floods and drought, affect the largest amount of people;
 About 33 hazard events were observed from 1970-2010 affecting 9 million people
causing $400 million in economic losses (MPI, 2012);
 Losses from floods account for some 2.8-3.6% of the country’s GDP and about 2.7%
of the government’s total spending annually (World Bank, 2014).
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Source: Desinventar
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Disasters in Lao PDR
 The Human Development Report states that persistent vulnerability threatens human
development
 Reducing the impact of disasters in Lao PDR is a priority of the government due to the
increasing number of persons affected and economic development caused by disasters
Mekong River Commission
2nd Mekong Climate Change Forum
Source: Desinventar
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6 – 8 October 2014
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Examples of Recent Disasters in Lao PDR
 Drought, Luang Prabang 2013
 Flash Flooding, Oudomxay 2013
 Typhoon Haima, Northern and Central portions, 2011
 Typhoon Ketsana, Southern provinces 2009
 Flooding, Vientiane 2008
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2nd Mekong Climate Change Forum
Photo Credits: MPI, PONRE Xiengkhouane
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2. Disaster Prevention and Control
Committee (DPCC) Diagram
Deputy Prime Minister
National Disaster Prevention
and Control Committee
(NDPCC)
Department of Disaster
Management and Climate
Change (DDMCC), MONRE
Provincial Disaster Prevention
and Control Committee
(PDPCC)
District Disaster Prevention and
Control Committee
(DDPCC)
Village Disaster Prevention and
Control Committee
(VDPCC)
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
Organizational Structure of National Disaster Prevention and Control Committee
Chairman
Deputy Prime Minister
Standing Vice-Chair
Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources
and Environment (MoNRE)
Vice-Chair
- Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
-Minister, Ministry of Public Works and Transport
(MPWT)
- Minister of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW)
Members
1. Vice Minister, Ministry of Public Health (MPH)
2. Vice Minister, Ministry of Interior (MoI)
3. Chair of the Lao RED Cross
4. Vice-Chair, Lao Youth Union
5. Director General, Ministry of Defense
6. Permanent Secretary , Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)
7. Permanent Secretary , Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)
8. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education (MoE)
9. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance (MoF)
10. Director General of the Department of Mass Media, Ministry of
Information, Culture and Tourism
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Organizational Structure of National Environment-Climate Change Committee
Chairman
Deputy Prime Minister
Standing Vice-Chair
Minister, MoNRE
Vice-Chair
Minister, MAF
Members
1.Vice Minister, Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM)
2.Vice Minister, Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT)
3.Vice Minister, Ministry of Finance (MoF)
4.Vice Minister, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC)
5.Vice Minister, Ministry of Education (MoE)
6.Vice Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology
7.Vice-Chair, Lao Front for National Construction
8.Vice-Chair, Lao Women’s Union
9.Deputy General Secretariat, National Trade and Industry Council
10.Vice-Chair, Lao Youth Union
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Building Resilience by Linking DRR and CC
 The DDMCC, MONRE is working with government partners and the international
community to ensure that lives and livelihoods are protected from disaster
 Specific initiatives:
1)
Legal Framework-MoNRE is initiating DRM and CC law for a long term disaster and climate
change management expected to be finalized in 2017;
2)
Village Disaster Management Plans are comprehensive, encompassing the entire disaster
management cycle and proposing activities for prevention and mitigation, not solely
preparedness and response;
Coordination- the government is working to coordinate with all relevant sectors through the
NDPCC and Inter-Agency Steering Committee (IASC) and sector working groups;
3)
4)
Public Awareness- making the link between environmental sustainability, climate change, and
disaster so that local communities understand the consequences of climate change and small
actions they can take to mitigate hazards.
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4. Key Achievements on DRM & CC Policies and Plans
 Integrated DRM and CC into the 7th NSEDP, Environmental
Protection Law, Revised Urban Planning Law
 Strategic Plan on Disaster Management to 2010, 2020
and action plan to 2005
 Disaster Management Plan 2012-2015
 Draft DRM Decree 2013
 National Strategy on Climate Change (NSCC)
 National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA)
 Action Plan on Climate Change (APCC) for the years
2013 to 2020
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Integration of Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management in
National, Sub-National and Sectoral Development Planning
 DRM and Climate change are one of the priority areas integrated in to 7th NSEDP (2011-2015):
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Participate in the campaign against global warming, climate change and pollution.
Ensure high alert in preventing natural disaster, particularly, forest fires, droughts, floods, and river
bank and mountain erosion.
Restore the environment affected by disasters in the past years.
DRM and CC are integrated into education, transport, urban planning, agriculture and health sectors
as well as provincial economic development plans (Khammoune, Attapeu, Saravan and Sayabouly
provinces).


 Working with MPI in integrating into the 8th NSEDP (2016-2020):
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Need to give the priority and mainstream to all sectors
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Need allocated some fund for climate change and disaster at central and local level
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Key Challenges
1. Capacity strengthening and guidance for mainstreaming at policy and
operational levels

Need further strengthening of TWGCC and other institutions at various levels
2. Cross-cutting multi-sector awareness programs on climate change for
decision makers and other stakeholders
3. Effective coordination among relevant line ministries and other
stakeholders including the private sector and local communities
4. Programmatic approaches instead of single project oriented approach.
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Key Challenges
5. More scientific data/information systems and vulnerability and
adaptation studies
6. Practical examples of mainstreaming instead of only concepts
7. Technical and financial assistance from multilateral, bilateral and newly
established global climate funds
8. Climate finance readiness (e.g., NAMA, NAP, Intended nationally
determined contributions (INDC);
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ຂອບໃຈ
Thank you