1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Battambang
Region
Asia
Short description of the intervention
Battambang is projected to experience significant effects of climate change that will have a range of impacts including changes to hydrology and the frequency and intensity of flooding and droughts. As part of an Asian Development Bank project, a technical Climate Change Core Group was established to ensure that representatives from key sectors and levels of government work together to build resilience for the town and prepare the residents for the inevitable climate change impacts in the future. Three infrastructure systems in Battambang were identified for detailed vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning by the climate change Core Group; a) a long canal system to the west of the town, b) the riverbanks near the Sor Kheng Bridge in the centre of town, c) the train station and surrounding wetlands and settlements in the centre of town. [1, 2]
Address

Battambang
Cambodia

Location
The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Other
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
The intervention is a city-wide initiative and was taken at different parts of the city.
Website of the intervention
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324574178_Resource_kit_volume_5_Case_S…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2014
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2015
End date of the intervention
unknown
Present stage of the intervention
In piloting stage
Goals of the intervention
1. Revising the town development mission, identify climate change hotspots, identify development controls and safeguards.
2. To create a green belt for the town that can be used for a variety of purposes.
3. To create natural stormwater and flood management, bio-retention and pollution treatment.
4. To develop the river embankment to be multipurpose where people can interact and socialise with each other and is resilient to flood and erosion through the application of bioengineering approaches for infrastructure development [1, 2]
Quantitative targets
1. Renovation of a 7m canal, 2. Enlarge the canal from 7 m to 20 m: 7 m for the canal, 6.5 m for each embankment, 3. Reinforcements of 1 bridge, 4. Renovate 5 hectares of wetland area near the railway station. [2]
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of locals or community groups engaged, number of maintenance measures taken per annum, reduction in erosion and flooding, total area of vegetation, number of key experts engaged, number of stakeholders participated. [2]
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Reduce the impacts of climate risks events on urban places and communities
Build resilience
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Implementation activities
1. Documenting past extreme events and regular flooding through participatory mapping with detailed information for various flood zones on duration, depth and source – localised rainfall and/or river overtopping.
2. Defining the climate change profile for the site based on modelling results from ICEM and supper imposing those on the past extremes map.
3. Revising the past extremes map to identify the town climate change hot spots.
4. Creation of bioengineered terraces with each level (above and below river bridge) serving different purposes of recreation and leisure, commercial and subsistence uses and stepwise flood protection.
5. Establish a tiered series of benches on both sides of the river using a mix of hard and soft bioengineering to protect against bank erosion and to facilitate multiple uses of the banks and river including access for recreation, tourism, fisheries and agriculture.
6. Tree plantation and creation of public green space areas including small parks. [1, 2]
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
Parks and urban forests
Green corridors and green belts
Vegetation Type
Shrubs
Trees
Please specify how many trees were planted
Unknown
Amenities offered by the NBS
Benches and drinking water stations
Playgrounds
Cultural (museum, concert areas)
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)
Regulating services
Flood regulation
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Recreation
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Financial institution (e.g. bank, insurer, pension fund)
Other
Please specify other non-government actors involved
Multilateral Development Institutions
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The project is led by the Asian Development Bank, the Battambang Core Group, which includes the Provincial Governor, line department and senior town officials. [1, 2]
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Multilateral organisation
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Citizens or community group
Multilateral organisation
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
No
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
National policy on climate change adaptation [2]
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
The Battambang Development Master Plan (2008-2020) [2]
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Mandatory (based on policy)
Intervention is mandatory
Environmental regulation
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section
The Battambang Development Master Plan (2008-2020)
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
City specific climate change policy or plan
Urban redevelopment plan
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
Multilateral funds/international funding
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Risk reduction model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
Technological
Infrastructural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
The above and below levels of the Sor Kheng Bridge would get developed for increased flood protection measures. Both these levels would be treated with bioengineered terraces with each level serving different purposes of recreation and leisure, commercial and subsistence uses and stepwise flood protection. Additionally, both sides of the river would be developed using a mix of hard and soft bioengineering to protect against bank erosion and to facilitate multiple uses of the banks. [2]
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Environmental quality
Improved soil quality
Water management and blue areas
Improved water quality
Increased protection against flooding
Improved stormwater management
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Description of environmental benefits
1. Reconstruct the river bank using gabions and vegetation to stabilize against flood and erosion is expected to improve the overall green areas in the city. Additionally, these will provide some habitats for some species.
2. The grass floor below the bridge is expected to provide some extra protection against stormwater drainage.
3. Reconstruction of the box pipe system with geo-textiles and flood gates is expected to effectively drain water and prevent flooding into the city.
4. The terraced river banks and parks would contribute to the green spaces in Battambang significantly.
5. Restoration of the wetland will reduce soil erosion.
6. The wetland would store water for domestic use and fisheries and agricultural productivity.
7. The stormwater and domestic wastewater would be filtered through a natural treatment facility before flowing from the wetland site. [1, 2]

Economic impacts
Stimulate development in deprived areas
Reduce financial cost for urban management
Description of economic benefits
1. Tax collected from the local shop keepers, sellers, hotel owners and other users will help to reduce the financial burden on the city Government.
2. Reduction of flood damage costs. [1, 2]
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Safety
Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
Description of social and cultural benefits
1. The above and below levels of the bridge would allow for walking and/or cycling and ready access to the river.
2. Rehabilitation of the lake body with the maintenance of wetland plants and animals and beautification would bring more tourists and improve the aesthetics for city residents.
3. Renovation and restoration of the whole railway system connected to the national railway so that the station and wetland park becomes the first point of contact for many tourists.
4. The canal banks will serve as a green belt along the western side of the city that will attract both domestic and foreign tourists.
5. The project is expected to create more climate resilience at the community level. [1, 2]
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Indicators
Locals or community groups engaged, maintenance measures are taken per annum, reduction in erosion and flooding, area of vegetation, key experts engaged, stakeholders participated. [2]
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Committee or technical team
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of October, 2021.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Focus groups
Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Other
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Focus Group
Other
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Training and consultation including community meetings and planning sessions. [2]
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
List of references
1. Asian Development Bank. (2016). Nature-based solutions for building resilience in towns and cities: Case studies from the Greater Mekong Subregion. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Asian Development Bank. URL: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/215721/nature-based-solutions.pdf. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
2. ADB. (2015). Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186). URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324574178_Resource_kit_volume_5_Case_Study_1_Building_Urban_Resilience_in_Battambang_Cambodia. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
3. ICEM (2017). resilient-cities-regional-workshop-report. URL: https://icem.com.au/portfolio-items/resilient-cities-regional-workshop-report/. Accessed on 11th October, 2021.
Comments and notes
Public Images
Battambang Case Study areas
Battambang Case Study areas
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).
Bioengineering adaptation method
Bioengineering adaptation method
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).
Battambang canal system
Battambang canal system
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).
Battambang adaptation planning
Battambang adaptation planning
ADB. 2015. Building Urban Resilience in Battambang, Cambodia, Volume 5 of the Resource Kit for Building Resilience and Sustainability in Mekong Towns, Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management for the Asian Development Bank and Nordic Development Fund. Manila (TA 8186).