Environment and natural resources

Ministry of Environment officials have determined that a factory belonging to Tong Kang (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. is polluting the air around it. According to a May 23 statement from the ministry, a furnace at the factory – which produces components or shoes – has adversely ...

Sixteen banteng (Bos javanicus), one of the world’s most critically endangered species, have been successfully relocated to a safe sanctuary, thanks to the use of helicopters. This was the first time this kind of operation has been conducted in Cambodia, reported social enterprise Rising Phoenix ...

Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth has doubled down on warnings to the owners and operators of factories — especially mango processing plants — that discharge untreated wastewater into clean water sources, threatening that the ministry now has “a sword to strike with”. ...

The Kingdom’s largest tree nursery, located in Kampong Speu province, will be completed by the end of May. Once operational, it will allow the Ministry of Environment to produce up to 10 million tree saplings per year across its five regional nurseries. ...

Online journalist Ouk Mao, who reports on environmental issues and illegal deforestation in the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, was charged with incitement and public defamation, the Stung Treng Provincial Court confirmed on May 19. ...

Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth has issued a warning to environmental officials, informing them that any of them found felling trees for use in infrastructure construction in the Phnom Khnang Phsar area will be removed from their positions. ...

An outspoken environmental activist stays resolute in his efforts to raise awareness of environmental issues despite threats of legal action after exposing illegal logging in a protected area in a northern province of Cambodia. ...

Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth and Bridgette Walker, chargé d’affaires of the US embassy, have expressed their commitment to continued cooperation on environmental issues and the promotion of “green diplomacy”, despite a US change in the direction of US foreign aid policy under the presidency ...

Following the recent discovery of forest crimes which took place within protected areas, Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth has reiterated that all provincial departments of the environment ministry must strictly enforce the law to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources in protected zones. ...

A group of analysts and social observers have suggested that a joint on-site investigation is conducted – or that the head of government personally calls for an enquiry – regarding the forest authorities’ dismissal of environmental activist Ma Chettra’s claims to have discovered illegal logging ...

A short film about the “Srov Met Kriel” sarus crane project – a conservation initiative which encourages and supports wildlife-friendly farming – was unveiled on May 10 to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day 2025. ...

Most forest communities serve as a frontline defence for protecting natural resources by helping prevent crimes and reducing total dependence on forest resources through the development of alternative livelihoods. However, some community members are acting contrary to this mission and are now facing legal consequences. ...

The Dauntri Dam Development Project, which aims to supply irrigation water to communes in Battambang and Pursat province, is on track for completion this October. ...

Environmental activists and communities launched a campaign urging the government to revoke a sub-decree that allows a private company to build a cement factory on 99 hectares of protected forest in Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. ...

Another company has been identified by the Ministry of Environment as discharging contaminated wastewater into a public waterway, bringing the total to 29 since 2024. ...

Cambodia launched a $90 million wastewater treatment project in Kandal Province, bringing the total number of wastewater treatments to 14 nationwide. The initiative was welcomed by a civil society organization, which praised the government for ensuring environmental sustainability and public health. ...

A $20 million ASEAN–South Korea Cooperation Project on Methane Mitigation (AKCMM) has officially been launched. The project aims to help Cambodia tackle methane emissions — one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. ...

Prime Minister Hun Manet has ordered the suspension of operations at any factory or enterprise that lack proper wastewater treatment systems and cause pollution to public water sources, especially near rivers and the sea. ...

Around 120,000 mixed-species trees are being planted in the Antung Ang area (better known as “Phnom 1500”) on over 200 hectares of land in Pursat province’s Veal Veng district. ...

Around 4,000 logs of a valuable species of hardwood, classified as a Type 1 luxury timber, were seized by a joint force in Mondulkiri province over four days at the end of April. The logs were illegally felled and removed from a protected natural area. ...

The protected “Zone 3” lands of the Tonle Sap Lake serve as the lifeline of the Kingdom’s largest body of water, and deliver economic benefits of around $2 billion annually to the people. ...

In a move aimed at protecting Cambodia’s environmental future, Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth has committed to eliminating all companies that cause widespread environmental destruction. ...

A rare example of the Preah Trahoeng giant orchid, the world’s tallest orchid, is blooming for the third time within the Kingdom. ...

Cambodia witnessed a rare and surprising weather phenomenon over the weekend, as hailstones hit several parts of the Kingdom during heavy storms. ...