People's Recommendations on Climate Change via Radio Talk

To open the published report in English version in pdf click here; in Khmer version click here.

I. Introduction

With 0.2 percent of the world’s population, Cambodia accounts for negligible percentage of global emission. Yet, Cambodia faces immediate threats to its agricultural production and food security from climate changes as rainfall and temperature fluctuation lead to lack of water, according to the UN’s report.

Natural disasters and high temperature fluctuation which have rarely taken place become more serious and more frequent, in which allow the vector-borne diseases such as malaria took many Cambodian lives.

Flood and Drought in Cambodia (Photos from Presentation of Mr. Ouk Navann Cambodian Climate Change Office, Ministry of Environment) Therefore, fighting climate change is a big challenge of the present time. The combat against climate change is not solely the responsibility of the government or an individual institution, but together as a country. With this belief, mobilizing people and raising the public awareness on climate change was one of the main activities that the Cambodian Center for Independent media has exerted efforts during the nine-month project it has implemented with funding from the Bilateral Fund Programme of the British Embassy of Cambodia.

The project’s main activity was a weekly radio talk show program called “Earth Talk,” which focuses on the climate change bridging government officers and experts directly to the public. Besides providing information on climate change to the people, the talk show also served as a tool for the public to share their views and suggestions to the government. During the talk shows, CCIM recorded the suggestions and ideas that transpired in the discussions and calls of the listeners. CCIM also conducted a survey on climate change via the radio talk shows by accepting call-ins from the listeners and these were compiled into recommendations of the people to the government.

The project has also mobilized over 100 students to participate in a writing radio drama contest which aimed at raising awareness on climate change. The dramas were aired during the “Earth Talk” radio programs.

1. Objective of This Report

In line with the project’s objective to contribute in raising public awareness and to stimulate a public advocacy towards effective response to the alarming challenges of climate change, this report aims to contribute inputs and recommendations on the issues of climate change to the government.

2. Methodology

The recommendations on climate change presented in this report were developed from the radio talk shows and radio call-in surveys. During the nine-month project, a total of 32 radio programs were broadcast on CCIM’s radio station Sarika FM 106.5MHz. Of this number, eight episodes were devoted for talk shows with the participation of government officials, NGOs and individuals; 14 episodes were run for call-in surveys; and 10 episodes for the airing of the radio dramas. The talks were participated by 16 studio guests and a total of 86 callers.

A. Radio talk shows

The radio talk shows tackled the following topics: what is climate change; global warning; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Kyoto Protocol; rest and climate change; impact of climate change; impact of climate change to the agriculture and forestry; and possible solutions to reduce negative effect of climate change.

During the talk shows, callers were accommodated to ask questions and shared their ideas and suggestions. The discussions, ideas and suggestions were considered in developing the recommendations presented in the report.

B. Radio call-in surveys

The 14 radio call-in survey episodes were conducted from November 2008 to April 2009. The on-air surveys used prepared questionnaires in asking the callers during the show. (See Appendix 2 for questionnaires)

As a result, there were 65 callers in the talk shows from Kandal, Kompong Thom, Kompong Speu, Prey Veng, Takeo, and Phnom Penh. Most of the callers interviewed during the radio shows were students (see Appendix 3 - Location). As the callers directly called the show without any control, samples were randomly selected.

Since the sample of the callers was in a small figure and it was hard to make an analysis, the questionnaires used in the radio call-in survey were also used during the radio drama script writing workshop attended by 100 young students on December 23, 2008 as additional samples in this survey. The results of the survey were encoded in the computer using the SPSS software.

II. Recommendations

1. Law enforcement on illegal acts harmful to the environment

According to the survey results, 24% of respondents suggested that the government should take action on law enforcement against illegal acts that are harmful to the environment leading to global warming. (Appendix 1)

Most of the respondents cited illegal logging and dumping of hazardous waste into the rivers and land, and these actions should be punished and brought to justice. The serious concern of the people is the deforestation of which some of them reported that the loss of trees in the community is mostly manmade.

Twenty percent of the respondents suggested to the government to take action against illegal logging and most of them recommended to stop logging and implement forest conservation to keep the country green. One respondent make a request to the government to give authority to local communities to preserve their forest territory. Additionally, 4% suggested the government should coordinate with people to plant more trees in the logging sites.

One of respondents raised about the re-claiming of the natural lakes for land that would affect the water supply and the climate by suggesting to the government to carefully implement the law about the side effects of climate change and ecosystem.

2. Increase awareness and interests of people on climate change

The suggestion to increase the knowledge and interests on climate change is the second choice of the respondents comprising 22%. The recommendation focuses mostly on media campaigns via radio, TV, and printed materials in order to engage the people into the activities to reduce the climate change particularly to the vulnerable people who are easily affected and need to learn how to adapt to the climate change (Appendix 1). Further, there is a suggestion to raise information campaign to urge individual’s commitment in this matter.

Two percent of the respondents suggested to the government to provide financial and technical support to any project supporting the combat against climate change. One respondent cited that more research on climate change in Cambodia should be encouraged and supported. (Appendix1)

With the survey questionnaires, nearly half of the respondents answered causes and effects of climate change correctly (Appendix 3 - Causes and consequences). However, the figures of the respondents were mostly from those who have already been listening to the talk shows on climate change or the students who have attended the training. Moreover, it is doubtful if they really understand deeply about the climate change on mitigation and its adaptation, since in the suggestions there is only 5% of the total suggestion stated about gas migration, and there was no suggestion on adaptation, whereas mostly focus on logging-related issues. Similarly, the question on what activities to reduce climate change, 2/3 of the respondents cited only on planting trees and stopping of logging.

Seventy nine percent of the respondents provided reasons for not participating in climate change due to their limited ability although they express

willingness to do (Appendix 3 - If no, why not). Of this result, the government and stakeholders have to work harder on raising people’s awareness for those who are interested but do not understand if they are involved in the climate change, or for those who think they do not have enough capacity to do.

3. Increase individual’s participation on reduce climate change

The 5% of respondents stated that there is ultimately need of individual participation to reduce mitigation and keep the earth safely from climate change.

Answering to the question on personal participation in reducing climate change, 60% responded positively that they have involved in some activities such as lanting trees, keeping their community clean without littering, disseminating information on climate change to their friends, neighbors and relatives.

Additionally, few also stated about the energy saving, reducing gas mitigation by cutting down air-conditioning usage. (Appendix 3 - Participation)

The other 40% of the respondents replied that they did not participate in the above activities, and they were asked to provide reasons. The question was designed to identify reasons relevant to their ability and willingness in participation. Majority stated that they have the willingness to participate, but they are not able to, in which comprise with 79% of the respondents, while 15% of them stated have no willingness to join. (Appendix 3-Reason for not)

Next for those who reported that they are willing but not able was asked to give an answer on the question that if they are provided the chance to make it different in climate change, they will do, or not. Only 1 out of 32 respondents said “NO,” meaning that the people need to have good guidelines on people mobilization to increase their participation and contribute to reduce in climate change in their daily lives. (Appendix 3 - If given chance)

III. Conclusion

The above recommendations was not based on a comprehensive and highly-scientific survey, but only limited on a radio talk show and call-ins using simple and general questionnaires. However, the radio talk shows and surveys have collected important ideas, comments, inputs, and recommendations on the issues of climate change. The three recommendations presented here are coming from the people who have given the opportunity to express their recommendations through the radio. It is hoped that such recommendations may contribute to making policies and plans on the part of the government and to the society in the general.