The Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (Mekong ARCC) Project is a five-year program (2011-2016) funded by the USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA) in Bangkok and implemented by DAI and subcontractors the International Centre for Environmental Management (ICEM) and the World Resources Institute (WRI). The project addresses information and policy gaps to provide communities in the Mekong River Basin with the guidance and support they need to develop sustainable integrated adaptation plans that will increase their ability to cope with the negative impacts of climate change. Mekong ARCC is headquartered in Bangkok and supports climate change research and adaptation initiatives in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR. This presentation was delivered by Paul Hartman, Chief of Party of Mekong ARCC Project, at the Interim Results Workshop on Climate Change Impact and Adaptation Study for the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) during October 31 - November 1, 2012 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

1. Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change
(Mekong ARCC)
Paul Hartman, Chief of Party

2. Mekong ARCC
Geographic
Scope

3. Mekong ARCC
Goal: Increase adaptation capacity & resilience of
communities to the impacts of climate change
• Use climate change downscaling techniques to identify
vulnerable crops, fisheries and ecosystems in Lower
Mekong countries
• Work at field level on climate planning that supports
community development of adaptation and resilience
strategies
• Collect extensive data to:
– quantify ecosystem services
– ascertain investment impact
– develop project proposals for adaptation financing
• Work with regional institutions to leverage project results
and broaden/sustain impact

4. Community Adaptation
Initiatives

5. Climate Planning
• Climate Planning
– incorporates weather and climate information into
community planning to address current vulnerability and
future threats from climate change
MARCC Proof of Concept
Climate Planning Model
Weather Data Climate Data
1. Vulnerability Assessment
2. Options Analysis
3. Priority Setting
4. Monitoring: Act, Learn, Act again
Climate Planning
MARCC Proof of
Concept:
Development filtered
Traditional Development Program
through a Climate Lens

6. % change in annual
temperature and rainfall by
2050

7. Determining Climate Vulnerable
“Hot Spot Transition Zones”
Ecozones

8. Determining Climate Vulnerable
“Hot Spot Transition Zones”
Top commercial crops
Vietnam Laos Thailand Cambodia
Rice, paddy Rice, paddy Rice, paddy Rice, paddy
Coffee, green Maize Rubber Cassava
Cashew nuts, with shell Coffee, green Cassava Maize
Cassava Tobacco, Sugar cane Bananas
Fruit trees: Bananas and Traditional crop varieties Wild plants
mangoes  Rice (more than 13,000  Cardamom,
identified in Lao  Rattan and bamboo
Vegetables: Sweet potatoes,  Eggplant (more than 3000  Orchids
tomatoes, beans, chilli in Lao)  Mushrooms
 Papaya
Subsistence crops  Banana (centre of origin) Crop wild relatives
 Lowland and upland rice  Mango (centre of origin)  Glutinous rice (centre of
 Cassava  Pineapple origin
 Maize  Water melon  Eggplant (centre of origin)
 Peanuts  Passion fruits
Centre of origin for: coconut palm, sugarcane, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, onion, cucumber

9. Determining Climate Vulnerable
“Hot Spot Transition Zones”

10. Determining Climate Vulnerable
“Hot Spot Transition Zones”

11. Determining Climate Vulnerable
“Hot Spot Transition Zones”

12. Community Development
through a Climate Lens

13. Extreme Weather Events

14. Upcoming Events
• Penultimate Study Results Presented to regional
experts for input (January)
• Field geographies finalized and presented to
USAID for approval (November)
• Call for proposals released for community
adaptation initiatives (December)
• Award Subcontracts to implementing groups
(Jan-March)
• Kick off of field initiatives (April)

15. Thank You