Environment and natural resources

The Ministry of Environment has ordered the closure of a landfill in Preah Sihanouk province, after it was determined that the site had polluted a nearby stream and caused the death of multiple fish. ...

Cambodia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy has described a violent confrontation involving fishermen and a licensed sand dredging company near the Prey Veng–Kandal provincial boundary as unlawful, stressing that the company has legally held a sand extraction licence for the site since 2020. ...

Senate president Hun Sen has instructed the authorities of the four provinces surrounding the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary to strengthen their efforts to prevent illegal logging and forest encroachment, with a strict warning against allowing one of Cambodia’s most important forests to deteriorate into degraded ...

Mondulkiri authorities are investigating the deaths of six cattle found near an illegal gold mining site in Pu Tong village, Chong Phlas commune, Keo Seima district, amid speculation they may have been poisoned by chemical contamination. ...

The Ministry of Environment has reported that authorities carried out 5,953 patrols nationwide during the first half of 2026, leading to the suppression of 967 natural resource-related offences. ...

Prime Minister Hun Manet has instructed the armed forces and all government institutions to work together to suppress illegal fishing, including identifying and prosecuting the organisers behind such activities, in order to ensure stocks continue to recover, for the benefit of fishing communities and the ...

The Ministry of Environment has reported that it prevented more than 12.89 million cubic metres of wastewater from factories being discharged into natural waterways during the first half of 2026, helping to protect public water resources, the environment and public health. ...

A bright-eyed pileated gibbon, an endangered species, has been born in Siem Reap province’s Angkor Forest, bringing the total population to 15 individuals. The pileated gibbons, along with nearly 100 other native animals that were previously released into the archaeological park, play an important role ...

Authorities have reclaimed 14 of an estimated 18 hectares of illegally cleared state forest land in Kampong Thom province’s O’Chamlorng Tai area of Mean Rith commune, Sandan district. Legal proceedings are ongoing for the remining four hectares, with investigations ongoing to identify those behind the ...

Marine scientists warn that an approaching El Niño, combined with rising global temperatures, could trigger marine heatwaves, harmful algae blooms and oxygen loss in Cambodia’s coastal waters, threatening biodiversity, fisheries and the livelihoods of coastal communities. ...

The past week saw the Ministry of Environment bring a halt to large-scale forestry crimes in Ratanakiri and Pursat provinces, eve as it gears up to begin distributing five million free seedlings to the public as part of its “Green Shoots” campaign. ...

More than 50 of the 193 community-protected areas across Cambodia are now providing ecotourism services. ...

May saw officials interrupt 20 natural resource crimes across the five province’s Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountain range. ...

Cambodia has been flagged as a key hub in one of the region’s largest wildlife trafficking networks, according to a new investigation by US-based conservation organisation, Earth League International (ELI). ...

The Ministry of Environment has issued a reminder to the public that free saplings are now available, as part of efforts to encourage people to take part in efforts to increase green cover across the Kingdom. ...

The Ministry of Environment has instructed a Mondulkiri mining exploration company to correct its management of soil and wastewater and undertake environmental restoration work at its site, in the Mesam area of Chong Phlas commune, Keo Seima district. ...

During the first five months of 2026, Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment suppressed 896 natural resource-related crimes, while 43 suspects were arrested and referred to court, as part of ongoing law enforcement efforts to protect natural resources across the country. ...

Cambodia’s Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the Kingdom’s largest protected forest landscapes, is facing escalating enforcement challenges from armed poachers, illegal fishing and other resource exploitation, prompting calls for stronger technological support to protect biodiversity hotspots in the northeast. ...

Pursat provincial authorities are investigating a shocking case of animal cruelty in which a group of people reportedly beat a 110kg pregnant sambar deer and set dogs on it, leading to its death on May 18. ...

A US-based ranking website has declared Cambodia the number one nation in the world in the Natural Environment category, behind the Seychelles and Slovenia.   ...

Provincial leaders from the area surrounding the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary met with representatives from forest communities on May 4. The meeting saw the participants discuss ways to make protection mechanisms more robust and effective, to protect the precious forest. ...

Environmental officers have reported encroachments in the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary that have seen at least six hectares of land cleared for agricultural use. The offenders have been identified in several cases, with investigations ongoing. At least one commune council official is suspected of involvement. ...

A newborn Irrawaddy dolphin calf has been spotted at the Kampi dolphin pool in Kratie province, bringing the total number of Mekong dolphins in Cambodia to 118. ...

The Ministry of Environment has suspended the operations of Baising Seng mango processing factory in Battambang province. Officials discovered that the plant was discharging untreated liquid waste, causing water pollution, fish deaths and other environmental damage in O’Treng stream. ...