Environment and natural resources
Tourism ministry partners up to protect Ratanakkiri’s last domestic elephants
The Airavata Khmer Elephant Foundation, which cares for the last surviving domestic elephants in Ratanakkiri province, will work more closely with the Ministry of Tourism to help protect the remaining animals and promote the province’s eco-tourism potential. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/tourism-ministry-partners-up-to-protect-ratanakkiri-s-last-domestic-elephants
‘Ponlork Baitong’ fair cancelled due to border conflict, free sapling distribution continues
The Ministry of Environment has cancelled the planned ‘Ponlork Baitong’ Exhibition and the National One-Million Palm Tree Planting Event 2025, which were scheduled to take place from August 5 to 7. The ministry highlighted the current need to focus efforts on supporting Cambodia’s frontline soldiers ...
Five Cambodian towns, districts selected as ASEAN Environmental Sustainability Award finalists
Five of the Kingdom’s towns and districts were included as nominees for ASEAN’s prestigious Environmental Sustainability Awards at the 36th Meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN) in Langkawi, Malaysia, held from July 28 to 31. ...
Forest guardians honoured on World Ranger Day
Cambodia’s environmental rangers are undergoing increasingly intensive training — similar to their brothers and sisters in the military — and learning new how to use the newest technology to boost their effectiveness in protecting natural resources and ensuring their own safety while they are deep ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/forest-guardians-honoured-on-world-ranger-day
Environment ministry records over one million cubic metres of toxic wastewater Jan-Jun
The Ministry of Environment has reported that in the first half of the year, it identified almost 30 factories that were illegally discharging untreated wastewater into public water sources. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/environment-ministry-records-over-one-million-cubic-metres-of-toxic-wastewater-jan-jun
Recorded natural resource crimes down a quarter in first half of year
The Ministry of Environments latest report on natural resource crimes reported a 27% decrease in the number of crimes it intervened in from January to June, when compared to last year. It recorded a total of 986 cases, including the seizure of over 10,000 snares, ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/recorded-natural-resource-crimes-down-a-quarter-in-first-half-of-year
Government rejects alarming deforestation report despite rise in forest cover loss in Cambodia’s protected forests
A new report by Citizens Engaged in Environmental Justice for All (CEEJA) on forest monitoring revealed that Cambodia has lost 120,829 hectares of tree cover in 2023, with nearly half occurring inside these protected areas. The Ministry of Environment has dismissed the report’s findings. ...
Sovann Sreypich and Long Somneang
https://cambojanews.com/government-rejects-alarming-deforestation-report-despite-rise-in-forest-cover-loss-in-cambodias-protected-forests/
Advanced technology sees rangers detect almost 800 hectares of encroached forests
Nearly 800 hectares of forest land that had been encroached upon and planted with various crops in protected areas of Siem Reap province were identified in 2024 and 2025, thanks to the use of modern technology and information systems. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/advanced-technology-sees-rangers-detect-almost-800-hectares-of-encroached-forests
Forest protection activist summoned by court as ‘witness’, not suspect
Tan Kimsour, a well-known forest protection activist, has been summoned by the Kratie Provincial Court’s prosecutor office to provide clarification in a case involving the transportation of forest products without a permit. ...
Niem Chheng
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/forest-protection-activist-summoned-by-court-as-witness-not-suspect
Families petition for closure of Preah Sihanouk hide processing plant
Nearly 100 families in Preah Sihanouk province’s Teuk La’ak commune, in Prey Nop district , have called for the closure of Kubon (CAMBODIA) Technology Co., LTD., a company that processes cattle hides, if it does not cease polluting local waterways. The pollution has negatively impacted ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/families-petition-for-closure-of-preah-sihanouk-hide-processing-plant
Dolphin guards request more equipment as illegal fishing persists
Patrol teams and community fisheries officers stationed in Irrawaddy dolphin conservation areas have requested additional equipment from the Ministry of Agriculture. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/dolphin-guards-request-more-equipment-as-illegal-fishing-persists
Ministry prosecutes 30 polluters in first half of year
The ministry of Environment has shared that in the first half of the year, it pursued legal action against 30 polluters. In the same period, 50 separate facilities have signed agreements to install automated monitoring systems that will help prevent environmental contamination. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-prosecutes-30-polluters-in-first-half-of-year
Battambang limestone mountains on shortlist as natural heritage sites
Officials from the Ministry of Environment, Battambang provincial authorities, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and development partners are currently assessing the possibility of beginning the process of listing two limestone mountain areas — Phnom Sampov and Phnom Banan — in Battambang as natural heritage sites. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/battambang-limestone-mountains-on-shortlist-as-natural-heritage-sites
Tina lauds reforestation efforts: 21 million saplings planted by Forestry Administration
The Forestry Administration – under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – has raised and planted over 21 million tree saplings using state funds, while millions more have been planted by citizens across the country. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/tina-lauds-reforestation-efforts-21-million-saplings-planted-by-forestry-administration
King: Tree planting a ‘green investment’ that brings multiple benefits for humanity and the planet
On the occasion of this year’s July 9 National Tree Planting Day, His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni shared how planting trees and all kinds of vegetation is a form of green investment in nature, offering a wide range of benefits for humanity and all living ...
Landowner, tractor operator detained for clearing protected forest
Two individuals — a landowner and a tractor operator — have been detained by the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Court for more than a month for their involvement in the illegal clearing of protected forest land on Phnom Neang Kangrei, in Kampong Leng district. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/landowner-tractor-operator-detained-for-clearing-protected-forest
Five companies ordered to stop polluting public water sources
The Ministry of Environment has ordered at least five companies and farms across three provinces to immediately cease the discharge of liquid waste that is polluting public water sources, under threat of legal action. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/five-companies-ordered-to-stop-polluting-public-water-sources
Phase one of land lottery wraps up with 500 impoverished families awarded farmland
The five-day lottery for the “Forest Protection Land Grant for Sustainable Development” programme, held from June 30, has concluded. A total of 500 landless, impoverished families from across the Kingdom were announced as winners during a live broadcast of the lottery. ...
National climate commitment plan ready for submission to UN
The Ministry of Environment has finalised the preparation of the Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC3.0) plan (2025–2030), reaffirming the Royal Government’s strong commitment to addressing climate change, in partnership with the international community. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/national-climate-commitment-plan-ready-for-submission-to-un
Much-loved elephant keeper will not return full-time, promises to visit Lucky
Try Sitheng has confirmed that he will not be returning to work with the Wildlife Alliance but has instead requested permission from the Minister of Agriculture to be able to visit Lucky the elephant, whom he considers like family. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/much-loved-elephant-keeper-will-not-return-full-time-promises-to-visit-lucky
‘Dolphins now have land titles’, as Mekong habitat registered as state land
A total of 20 conservation and community fisheries areas in eight provinces across Cambodia — covering a combined land area of approximately 25,000 hectares — have now been officially registered with the Ministry of Land Management, including over 20,000 hectares of Mekong River dolphin habitat. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/-dolphins-now-have-land-titles-as-mekong-habitat-registered-as-state-land
Environment ministry, iDE join forces to expand rural waste management services
As part of continued efforts towards tackling environmental and public health challenges, iDE Cambodia and the Ministry of Environment have signed a new project agreement aimed at expanding solid waste management services across Cambodia’s rural communities. ...
Hong Raksmey
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/environment-ministry-ide-join-forces-to-expand-rural-waste-management-services
Wildlife Alliance: Elephant keeper resigned voluntarily, was not dismissed
The Wildlife Alliance Cambodia has stated that Try Sitheng submitted his resignation voluntarily from his role as an animal caretaker at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, and that he was neither dismissed nor asked to resign. ...
Phak Seangly
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wildlife-alliance-elephant-keeper-resigned-voluntarily-was-not-dismissed
One year on, Mother Nature Cambodia activists remain behind bars as families and NGOs demand their release
One year after five Mother Nature Cambodia activists were imprisoned, civil society groups and families are calling for their immediate release. To mark the anniversary of their detention, rights groups launched a five-day campaign demanding justice, highlighting how their continued detention harms environmental protection efforts ...
Sovann Sreypich
https://cambojanews.com/one-year-on-mother-nature-cambodia-activists-remain-behind-bars-as-families-and-ngos-demand-their-release/