Local narratives of climate change in Southeast Asia

Abstract

There is growing recognition of the need to understand lived experiences of climate
change within the context of urban poverty in the Global South, where even small climate shocks
can have significant implications for the livelihoods of the urban poor. In this context, Southeast Asia, an area characterized by a large coastal population in complex terrains, has been designated one of the most threatened by and vulnerable regions by to a changing climate. Yet, it remains relatively under-represented in the rapidly growing literature on urban climate change. To date, Southeast Asian climate change research has been focused on regional impacts of the terrestrial ecosystems, followed by the marine ecosystems, with the most negatively impacted economic sectors being agriculture and fisheries, the backbone of many Southeast Asian economies. In contrast to these strands, local
understandings of climate change remain under-researched in Southeast Asia, particularly in
small cities as opposed to major urban capitals and emerging megacities. In response to these
calls to produce more local understandings of climate change, this research explores narratives of
urban climate change in two Cambodian cities: Siem Reap and Svay Rieng. Results demonstrate how adopting a local understanding of climate change can help reveal interconnections between lived experiences of rising urban vulnerabilities and a changing climate, demonstrating how climate change can exacerbate the everyday challenges of Southeast Asian urban life.