Funded by Scaling up Urban Disaster Risk Reduction in Cambodia by: People in Need

Cambodia is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. ranked 9 th in the World Risk Report 2014; 1 st in Standard and Poor’s index of countries vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (S&P: 2014). Cambodia is also a country that is rapidly urbanising. for the period , the country’s rate of urbanisation was amongst the highest in the region, averaging around 3.5% per year (WDI 2015). Among 96 Sangkats in Phnom Penh none has a land use plan Rapid urbanisation brings new hazards to vulnerable urban poor communities, but challenges are little understood. the NAP-DRR acknowledges that “urban disasters [are the] least recognised and understood” (RGC 2014: 15). Why Does Disaster Risk Recuction Matters?

Flooding The most severe hazard affecting urban poor residents, includes river flash flooding; slow onset rain and run-off related flooding; and government released flood overflow waters; In recent 2011 floods, rainfall was 24% higher than average in September (ACAPS, 2011). Kampong Cham was one of the worst hit provinces, with 33,436 households affected (9%) and 47 causalities. In Phnom Penh, 10,000 families were evacuated, before 14,570 homes and 22 school buildings were flooded (ACAPS, 2011); According to (Murphy et al., 2013), “It is quite possible that neither the 2000 nor the 2011 floods were the scale of a potential 100-year flood, i.e. without any consideration of impending changes, the potential for more serious future flooding exists”. Climate change and hydropower likely to exacerbate severity of future floods.

Poverty makes urban poor populations vulnerable to affects of disasters in a number of specific ways. High population density Presence of vulnerable groups in community Informal employment Low WASH coverage Poor quality housing and tenure insecurity.

Rapid urbanisation and land use change has resulted increased development-induced flooding in three survey sites. The growth of Cambodia’s urban centres has occurred in a context of weak spatial planning, and frequently involves the filling and sealing of lakes and wetlands by private developers; This process deprives urban areas of natural wastewater reservoirs and increases surface run-off, increasing flood risk for urban poor communities living in the remaining undeveloped low lands; Peri-urban areas, as sites of most rapid development, large urban poor populations and low-capacity infrastructure are sites of greatest vulnerability; The cumulative affects of development induced and river flooding leave affected communities vulnerable to a mega flood event.

1. Unplanned urban development is increasing flood risk of the urban poor. 2. Peri-urban areas are the most vulnerable to hazards. 3. Communities prefer living with floods than relocating far from their livelihoods. 4. MFI loans may increase resilience but potentially at the risk of long-term vulnerability. 5. Government DRR policies have had some success in dealing with threats from natural hazards, but are failing to deal with emerging development induced threats. 6. Urban poor highly vulnerable to a mega- flood disaster.

1. Mainstream DRR into holistic urban planning strategies, including master- plans. 2. Implement regulatory frameworks that protect communities against development-induced flooding, including transparent, rigorous environmental impact assessments for development projects. 3. Extend drainage and flood protection infrastructure to peri-urban areas and integrate them into Commune Development Plans. 4. Mainstream community- based WASH solutions into DRR programmes in areas with no sewage system and solid waste management in place. 5. Strengthen mechanisms for community-based DRR interventions, including PHVCA implemented and DRR plans developed in all urban poor communities and integrated into local planning proces 6. …