Environment and natural resources

A newborn Irrawaddy dolphin was sighted by conservationists in Stung Treng province’s Siem Bok district on February 23. The welcome arrival was the first calf to be recorded in 2025. ...

At least 30,000 hectares of dry-season rice across eight provinces are currently affected by water shortages, but as of January 23 the authorities were actively pumping water to mitigate the issue and prevent any damage, according to the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM). ...

The Tonle Sap Authority is compiling documents which describe the rich biodiversity of the over 1-million-hectare area of the Tonle Sap Lake, with plans to publish a book. ​ ...

Hundreds of locals and rice farmers in Takeo province blocked National Road 2 earlier this week with tractors and motorcycles, demanding government action on severe water shortages threatening their crops. ...

Following protests by farmers, authorities have pumped water from the Bati River and Prek Tnaot canal to dry season rice fields across Takeo province’s Bati district. The action, taken on January 21, is intended to save approximately 4,000 hectares of rice fields. ...

The public spaces of Kampong Chhnang province have been officially declared plastic waste free. The milestone followed two extensive campaigns that saw 300 waste collection activities organised in the past eight months. ...

The burning of forests, fabric scraps and various types of industrial waste continues unabated across the Kingdom, warned authorities and NGOs. ...

Six million children in Cambodia face increasing climate and environmental risks, exacerbated by poverty, systemic discrimination and marginalization, and disability, a UNICEF report on Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) revealed. ...

Around 200 workers of 800 Super-GAEA (Cambodia) Co Ltd protested after the garbage collection company terminated their union leaders following the formation of a union at their workplace. ...

Banteay Meas district in Kampot province was declared Cambodia’s first “smoke-free” district on January 16. ...

A new $6.5 million landfill in Banteay Meanchey province is officially open for business. The 11 hectare site will be in use until 2040 and is expected to improve environmental management and promote sanitation in the towns and villages around the Tonle Sap Lake. ...

NatureLife Cambodia and the Davane Company jointly launched an expansion agreement for the “Crane Rice” project on January 8. ...

A herd of Asian elephants, including a calf, was recorded on a camera trap recently in the central Cardamom Mountains. ...

Forty new rangers, including 13 women, have successfully passed their recruitment exams and been added to the ranger force in Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary. ...

The registration of eight community forest areas, encompassing a total land area of 12,984 hectares, has been supported by the Tumring REDD+ Project. In addition, a 27,508-metre artificial boundary canal was excavated around the community forests last year. ...

A total of seven new farmer water user communities (FWUCs) will be established in 2025, bringing the total number across the Kingdom to almost 600. ...

The first Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) has reported that nearly two million Cambodian children are facing climate change-related threats, especially floods, droughts and heat waves. ...

At least nearly 30 cubic metres of illegal timber was discovered and confiscated from two separate warehouses in Sala Kamreuk and Chreav communes of the Siem Reap provincial capital last weekend. The owners of the locations reportedly fled the scene. ...

The Ministry of Environment concluded its two-day “2024 Environmental Work Review and 2025 Work Directions Conference” yesterday, with Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth presenting the outcomes and future plans.​ ...

The Ministry of Environment has urged that strict legal action be taken against those whose negligence causes forest fires, noting that such violations are punishable by imprisonment for up to one year and fines reaching 100 million riel ($25,000). ...

The Ministry of Environment is set to launch three major campaigns in 2025 aimed at cleaning all national roads and improving water quality monitoring to enhance public well-being. ...

Free press advocates are demanding justice for environmental reporter Chhoeung Chheng after he was shot and killed by a suspected illegal logger on the outskirts of a protected area in northern Cambodia. Chheng and a colleague were in the region to document illegal forest activities ...

Youth and environmental advocates are calling for action to change daily habits that negatively impact the climate while witnessing the consequences of climate change that affect the daily life, health and mental well-being of people, especially those who live in the city. ...

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) is actively encouraging environmental education for preschool children and their guardians to instil a love of nature, promote environmental conservation, and raise awareness about climate change and environmental issues. ...