HENG Salpiseth, PhD Research Proposal

April 17, 2012

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
I. Background and Motivation
Every country in the world is now suffering from the problems of climate irregularities.
Similar to other countries in the region, climate change is real and happening in the Greater
Mekong Sub-Region (GMS), and its impacts are unavoidable. Currently, GMS countries
seek economic development, and foster construction of roads, bridges, hydroelectric
stations, industrial complexes, urban development, and natural resource exploration
throughout their country. The depth and diversity of the physical infrastructure influences
not only the pattern of growth, but lack of it prevents access to health and education, trade
liberalization and particularly regional intergration and connectivity. However, sustainable
infrastructure development, one of the most important development policy issues for the
Green Mekong, is now challenging with the effects of climate change. Disasters that result
from and/or can be made worse by climate change can undermine decades of growth
through a single catastrophic event. For instance, the serious disasters such as flood in
2011 in some GMS countries have caused a very serious impact to its economic growth.
Essential transport infrastructure which is one of the factors that makes an important
contribution to the socio-economic development of the region, have been severely
damaged. The flooding has brought freight along the main economic corridor to halt.
Facing such serious threat of natural disasters, both the adaptation and mitigation measures
are required for the growth prospect of the region.
I have strong interest in exploring how to ensure climate-resilient transport system in the
region through adaptation of appropriate actions. Adaptation approach is recognized as an
urgent and important complement to climate mitigation. Adjusting to address ongoing and
future climate change will help to reduce the severity of climate change impacts as well as
to strengthen resilience and maintaining business continuity. The new research study
would seek effective proactive steps to assess vulnerability of the urban transport system to
climate variations and provide guidance on how adaptation issues can be considered in the
transportation investment decision making for achieving a sustainable transport system in
the region.
II. Details of Proposed Research
a. Research Topic
- Field of Study: Adaptation Actions in the Urban Transport System in the Greater
Mekong Sub-Region (GMS)
- Tentative Research Title: Planning for Climate - resilient Urban Transport
Network in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region: A Case Study of Cambodias Road
Network.
b. Research Scope
Impacts of Climate Change and challenges to climate adaptation in the urban transport
system with identification of Climate Forcing and Types of Stress will be comprehensively
reviewed. Vulnerability of the urban transport system to a set of climate scenarios of
greatest relevance and at-risk geographic areas per climate scenarios are to be defined on
hazard maps. In addition to the assessment of vulnerability of modes, impact on operations
or demand and prioritize modes, the study will cover the exploration on how adaptation
issues might be considered in urban transport system planning, project development,
operations and maintenance. The study is going to deal with the following questions:

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HENG Salpiseth, PhD Research Proposal

April 17, 2012

1. What are the potential risks of climate change posed on the existing urban transport
system?
2. What are the feasible adaptation options for each mode of urban transport system?
3. What are the economic consequences and cost-benefit tradeoffs of action versus
inaction?
4. How to incorporate most feasible adaptive options into system planning to achieve a
better Business Continuity Plan
However, considering the limitation of study period, the study will focus mainly on the
road network whereas the other modes of urban transport system will be recommended for
future study. The study will particularly stress on optimizing the most feasible options in
the resilient road network planning considering a better Business Continuity Plan in the
process. The impacts of climate change on road network in Cambodia will be examined as
a case study in this research.
c. Research Objectives
The research objectives are:
- to explore what and how adaptation actions should be considered in urban transport
system planning, project development, operations and maintenance and what are
the variables and technical requirements to support feasible and effective risk
management responses in Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS)
- to establish a versatile model optimizing the most appropriate adaptation actions for
a resilient urban transport system in the Greater Mekong Sub-region
Adaptation measures are needed both to resist disruption and to recover rapidly afterwards.
Therefore, these responses need to foster the resilience of the urban transport system
through strengthening of the robustness of the system and the rapidity of recovery after
experiencing with extreme climate events. The study would serve as a resource for
professionals involved in transportation decision-making processes.
d. Significance and Innovation
The innovation and merits of the study are:
- The formulated optimization model that this research will develop aims to provide
decision makers with useful information on the feasible investment in climate
adaptation actions in planning for a resilient urban transport system.
- Predicted risks and possible diaster Hazard Maps as well as appropriate adaptation
options are to be identified for the transport network in the studied Mekong Region.
- A real Cambodian road transport network, which is part of the Asian/ASEAN
Highway No.1 and GMS southern economic corridor connecting BangkokPhnom
PenhHochiminh, is to be tested with the studied model.
What is more, the study would contribute to decision making on how to incorporate
disaster (risk) management issues in the transport and logistic sectors in order to improve
quality of life and maintain economic growth. For instance, year 2011 was considered a
special one for Japans and some ASEAN countriess disaster history. During the Recent
ASEAN-Japan Adhoc Expert Meeting for Cooperation on Disaster Prevention in the
Transport Sector in March 2012, each ASEAN Country member state and Japan shared
lessons learned from the past natural disasters and their experience and prepareness for
disaster response, particularly on the implications of disasters for transport infrastructures.
Business Continuity Plan (BCP) for the Transport Sector is one of the major discussion
topics. It is recognized that risk management against natural disasters should be introduced
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April 17, 2012

further into the transport operation and well preparedness was necessary for mitigation of
damaged occurred by disaster.
e. Methodology
Below is methodology for the proposed research study.
Summary of the framework of the research study:
Framework of the Research Study
1. Impacts of Climate Change in General, GMS and Cambodian Context:
Comprehensive review on the impacts of Climate Change and challenges to
climate adaptation with identification of Climate Forcing and Types of Stress.
2. Urban Transport System and Climate Impacts:
- Explain the relationship between climate forces and urban
transport system.
- Assess the vulnerability of the urban transport system to a set of
climate scenarios of greatest relevance
- Define at-risk geographic areas per climate scenarios
- Assess vulnerability of modes, impact on operations or demand
and prioritize modes by high strategic value
- Explore how adaptation issues might be considered in urban
transport system planning, project development, operations and
maintenance.
- What are the parameters and technical requirements to support
feasible and effective risk management responses?
3. Road Network and Climate Adaptation:
- Define vulnerability map of existing road network with
assessment of sensitivity by facility, section or function
- Define potential adaptive options to enhance the
resilience of the network
- Perform cost benefit analysis of adaptive responses with
optimization of cost of countermeasures. What are
economic consequences and cost-benefit trade offs of
action vs. inaction?
- Define sources of funding
Incorporate most feasible options into system planning

Literature Review (Jan Jun 2013):

In the first part of the study, an extensive desk review on the understanding of the impacts
of climate change and challenges to climate adaptation will be carried out. The
comprehensive review will be implemented on the GMS, particularly Cambodia. Analysis
on the climate change effects on the transport sector and assessment of adaptation
measures will be described. The study will be started with the literature review of existing
secondary data. Both published and unpublished materials material will be reviewed to
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identify the relevant effects of climate change and the responses to the climate impact in
the urban transport system. Journals, books, and other relevant international and national
publications including the documents published by the Mekong River Committee (MRC),
central government, local governments, universities, research institutes, private agencies as
well as the documents from the Informal Donor Meetings on Climate Change in
Cambodia, will be examined throughout the study. The review will include the analysis on
the consideration of climate change effects on urban transport system in the current
governments policy and legislation. ASEAN agreements on disaster management and
response exercises will be also studied.
Questionnaire Design (May Jun 2013), Field Survey and Interview (Sep Oct 2013):
The study will be complimented with designed questionnaires addressing to key
stakeholders in the sectors of Climate Change and Transport. The stakeholder
questionnaires are designed for selected urban transport network operators, central and
local government authorities in Cambodia and GMS countries, donor community, and
research institutions. The inquiry will be made on their research needs, adaptation
responses and perceived barriers to how urban transport system are planned, designed,
operated and maintained to address the effects of climate change. In the later part of the
study, a qualitative survey will be done throughout the research with interviewing of key
Cambodian government officials and donor representatives in Cambodia and the region
(such as members of the Infrastructure and Regional Integration Technical Working
Group, members of the Informal Donor Meeting on Climate Change, and members of the
ASEAN land transport working group) on the perceptions of climate change effects on the
urban transport system as well as their planned responses to cope with the future risks. The
relevant responses from the interviewed recipients will be also taken into account to
discuss on how projected climate impacts, climate variability, mitigations, and adaptation
strategies need to be considered in transportation investment decisions.
Existing Data collection and Processing (Jan Dec 2013):
Many existing up-to-date Cambodias data such as master plans and inventory of transport
system including maps of road network, rail network, port and airport, population and
economic census, socio-economic database, climate-related disaster historical data, master
plan of energy sector including hydropower master plan, rainfall data, hydrological data,
groundwater data, irrigation data etc have been extensively collected and regularly
updated. These data are to be also updated during the study period. Recent detail data and
survey report of impact of flood 2011 on road transport infrastructure in Cambodia are also
available for the research model testing.
Risk analysis on urban transport system (Jan March 2014):
First, climate forcing and corresponding types of stress will be identified. Using GIS maps,
at-risk geographic areas per climate scenarios will be analysed. A risk matrix approach to
analyse the climate change effects and their relevant risks to all modes of the urban
transport system will be used. Identification and prioritization of risks to each mode will be
made. Using findings from the risk assessment, an analysis of key climate variables with
potential for impacting design or operation will be made for each mode of the urban
transport system.
Assessment of vulnerability and hazard maps of road transport (April June 2014):
Spatial GIS mapped data of road transport networks will be used identify the transport
assets currently affected by weather conditions. Vulnerability map of existing road network
with assessment of sensitivity by facility, section or function will be defined.
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Model formulation and evaluation of adaptation actions through model validation on real
road transport network (Jan Dec 2014):
Adaptive options based on the literature review above and analysis above will be
prioritized using economic cost-benefit analysis of adaptive responses with defining
tradeoffs, and select alternative course of action. A complex mathematics model for
optimizing cost of countermeasures on the road network under different durations and
magnitudes of incident scenarios will be proposed in order to plan and provide more
resilient road network. The model is to be developed with consideration of the recovery at
early stage through resilient road transport system for better Business Continuity Plan.
The objective functions will include:
1. Minimize (Total Cost = Recovery cost + Investment in Adaptation Actions)
2. Maximize (Level of Continuing Transport Business after the disaster occured)
Define sources of funding, disscussion, recommendation and conclusion (Jan June 2015):
It is important to find ways to avoid compromising short-term system efficiency and
mobility objectives over long term adaptation projects such as increased costs of
maintenance, retrofitting, redesign, rebuilding, or relocation. Responses from the interview
above will be discussed on possible source of funding the climate adaptation.
Finally, the study will discuss how to incorporate most feasible adaptation actions into the
planning of urban transport system throughout sensivity analysis.
Revision and thesis writting (Jul - Dec 2015)
The research study is expected to produce academic papers to be published in local and
International Journals, and to be presented in relevant conferences. The publication of the
result of the study would contribution to the research in this field whereas many feedbacks
is expected to acquired for further improvement of the study for final thesis writting.
f. Expected Outcomes
The expected outcomes of the proposed study are:
1.

Contribution to urban transport system planning in the region

This research study is to contribute promoting resilient and robust transport
infrastructure in order to stimulate economic growth of the Greater Mekong Subregion within the context of environmental stewardship.

2.

Target Conferences
o Australian Transport Research Forum (ATRF) 2014, 2015
o Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS) 2015
o World Conference on Transport Research Society (WCTRS) 2015
o Other conferences relevant to Transportation and Climate Change

3.

Target Journals
o Emerald journals: International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and
Management
o Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
o Transport Policy (Journal of WCTRS)
o Journal of EASTS 2015
o Other scientific Journals relevant to Transportation and Climate Change
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