AKP Phnom Penh, May 26, 2026 -- H.E. Kittisethabindit Cheam Yeap, First Vice-President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, called for stronger parliamentary cooperation and coordinated regional action to address climate change during the AIPA-Cambodia National Parliamentary Conference on Climate Governance, held at the National Assembly Palace on Tuesday.

The conference gathered 250 participants, including parliamentarians from Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, representatives from ministries, development partners, research institutions, the AIPA Secretariat, and climate-focused organisations to discuss parliamentary roles in strengthening climate governance.

Delivering the opening remarks, he stressed that climate change is no longer a distant concern but an urgent challenge affecting livelihoods, economies, and human security across ASEAN.

Speaking on behalf of the Cambodian National Assembly under the leadership of Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly, H.E. Cheam Yeap said ASEAN remains among the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, where rising temperatures, extreme weather, floods, and droughts are becoming increasingly severe.

“Climate change is real, posing serious threats to humanity and our planet. Here in ASEAN, we live in one of the most vulnerable regions in the world, where climate impacts are becoming increasingly visible and severe,” he said.

He warned that climate change is increasingly threatening food security, livelihoods, and long-term economic stability, stressing that failure to take concrete action could result in serious humanitarian and economic consequences.

“These are human security issues. If we fail to take concrete action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, we risk falling into serious humanitarian and economic crises,” he stressed.

Calling for stronger regional cooperation, H.E Cheam Yeap emphasised that climate change transcends national borders and requires coordinated action among ASEAN member states.

“No country can fight this battle alone. Climate change does not respect national borders, and our response must be united with one voice and one direction. To truly protect our people, we must stand together as one ASEAN Family,” he said.

Highlighting the role of parliamentarians, H.E. Cheam Yeap stressed that lawmakers play a critical role in translating climate commitments into practical action through legislation, budget allocation, oversight, and accountability.

“Our responsibility is not only to support climate ambition in principle. It is to translate ambition into laws, budgets, oversight, and accountability,” he said.

He added that parliaments must ensure climate policies effectively benefit communities and that no one is left behind during the transition to a greener and more resilient economy.

The conference discussions focused on climate risk reduction, resilience-building, climate financing, and strengthening parliamentary engagement in climate governance.

He encouraged participants to deepen cooperation, exchange experiences, and work collectively toward practical climate solutions before officially declaring the conference open.

By Chea Vannak