Environment & Sustainability Guide · CambodiaEnvironment & Sustainability Guide in Cambodia
Air quality, green spaces, and environmental policies
Air Quality Index
Air quality in Cambodia shows a stable trend over the past 6 months per database data. Urban areas like Phnom Penh experience moderate pollution from traffic and biomass burning, while rural areas are cleaner. Government monitoring via MoE stations began improving data collection, but comprehensive AQI remains unavailable.
Water Quality
Water quality in Cambodia varies, with 75% rural access to basic drinking water but contamination from agriculture and industry persists. Urban supply meets WHO standards in treated systems, but rivers like Mekong show high pollution levels. Government monitoring through MoE and JICA projects aims to improve treatment.
Recycling System
Recycling infrastructure in Cambodia is developing, with formal rates low at under 10% nationally, focused in urban Phnom Penh via private collectors. Types include plastic bottles and paper; no national database metric available. Initiatives promote waste separation but challenges persist in collection.
Green Spaces
Cambodia protects 24% of its land as protected areas, including 26 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries like Virachey and Cardamom Mountains. Forest coverage is 52% as of 2020, down from 73% in 1990 due to deforestation. Reforestation efforts target 50% cover by 2030.
Environmental Policies
Cambodia ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016, committing to 42% GHG reduction by 2030 aided by grants. Policies include National Protected Areas Policy, Forestry Law, and plastic bag ban since 2020. Renewable targets aim for 15% energy mix by 2030.
- •Paris Agreement NDC
- •National Green Growth Roadmap 2013-2030
- •Plastic Bag Ban 2020
Natural Disaster Risk
HIGHCambodia faces high risk from floods (annual), storms, and droughts; floods affect 70% of land yearly. Recent events: 2020 floods killed 140+, displaced 250,000; Typhoon Yagi 2024 caused $800M damage.
Sustainability Initiatives
Solar power capacity grew to 100MW by 2023; government targets 15% renewables by 2030 via hydropower and solar parks under Green Growth Roadmap.
Phnom Penh solid waste management project processes 80% collected waste; national strategy promotes 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) with composting pilots.
Forestry Administration reforested 10,000ha annually; Cambodia Forest Program targets 2M ha restoration by 2030.
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