Cambodia History
Think Tanks
Environment and natural resources
The official Publications the opendevelopmentcambodia
3 March 2015 Environment and natural resources
Cambodia’s
environment provides natural resources including forests, waterways,
plants and wildlife. Natural resources also include minerals, energy and
extractives. The environment is varied, covering at least seven
distinct landscapes across the country.
Just
under two-thirds of Cambodia’s population depend on agriculture, forest
products and fisheries for their livelihoods,1 so the management of the
environment and natural resources is of great importance. Cambodia’s
environment is also considered a resource for the world. Part of the
Burma Indochina Hotspot, Cambodia is a treasure house of biodiversity.
So far, around 8,260 species of plant, 874 species of fish, 500 species
of bird and more than 250 species of amphibian and reptile have been
identified.2 On the Red List of the IUCN (International Union for
Conservation of Nature), 264 species are listed as threatened in
Cambodia.3 However, economic development has led to significant
environmental changes since the 1990s.
Although
Cambodia’s geography is dominated by the low-lying central plains that
make up about three-quarters of the country, there are several other
distinct landscapes: forested highlands (including the Cardamon, Dangrek
and Chhlong mountains; flooded forest; the Tonle Sap lake and Mekong
river system; the eastern plains or highlands; central forest; the
coastal region that includes mangrove wetlands; and islands of the Gulf
of Thailand.
With about two-thirds of
Cambodia—including the Tonle Sap—sitting in the Mekong basin, it’s
environment and ecosystems contribute significantly to the health of the
whole Mekong region, and especially the Mekong Delta. From as early as
2001, the FAO has highlighted changes to the Tonle Sap ecosystem brought
on by siltation, agro-chemicals, other pollution, changes to hydrology,
irrigation and transportation, as well as the fact that these changes
impact the broader Mekong system.4 This highlights some of the main
challenges facing Cambodia’s environment and natural resources as the
country’s economy develops. The growing and increasingly urban
population, who are earning more and demanding a more modern life-style,
are putting pressure on land, food resources and transportation needs.
Environmental policy
The
Ministry of Environment is responsible for implementing the Environment
Law and associated regulations, in-line with the Constitution’s mandate
that the state take responsibility to “protect the environment and
balance of abundant natural resources”.5
The
Ministry of the Environment’s Climate Change Department released its
Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) policy in October
2015, which targets a 27 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from
the projected status quo levels for 2030. In addition, it sets a target
of increasing forest cover to 60 percent of total land area by 2030.
Prior to the release of this policy, expenditure on climate change was
set to grow to 1.5 percent of GDP by 2018.6
Care
of the environment and natural resources is a focus in many strategy
documents. The government’s Rectangular Strategy for Growth, Employment,
Equity and Efficiency gives high priority to environmental protection.
Cambodia’s Millennium Development Goals included a specific goal to
“integrate principles of sustainable development into country policies
and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources.”7 The
National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) for 2014–2018 states the
importance of protecting natural resources and sustainable development.8
The
1993 Royal Decree on the Protection of Natural Areas, administered by
the Ministry of Environment, recognized 23 protected areas in four
categories:
natural parks,
wildlife preserves,
protected scenic view areas, and
multi-purpose areas.
At the time, these covered more than 18 per cent of the country’s total land area.9
Cambodia’s
Resource Governance Index ‘poor’ grade of 30 out of 100 points in 2017
placed it 79th out of 89 countries and 14th out of 15 countries in the
Asia/Pacific. The score, for its early-stage gold mining, reflected poor
ratings for national budgeting and licences in particular.10
Environmental value
The
government has recognized the contribution various areas of the
country’s environment and natural resources make to the economy, and
development. Their National Forest Sector Policy identifies
socio-economic development and poverty reduction as two of the driving
factors behind its sustainable forest management activities.11 Some
report, however, that despite a strong legislative framework for the
environment, it is either ignored or side-stepped for short-term
personal gain.12
The World Bank has estimated
the total value of Cambodia’s natural resource rents as a percentage of
GDP. This shows the contribution that natural resources (such as forest
timber) make to the country’s economic output. This has fallen in recent
decades, from a high of 8.3 percent in 1995 to 1.9 percent in 2016, as
other industries such as manufacturing have grown.13
Conservation
of the environment indirectly contributes to tourism income through
eco-tourism programs, which made up 1.3 per cent of all tourism arrivals
in 2014. In the same year, tourism contributed US$2.736 billion to the
economy.14
Besides the environment’s financial
value, areas of Cambodia’s natural landscape have high cultural and
spiritual value to the country’s indigenous groups. For instance, the
Prey Lang Community Network reports that approximately 200,000 Kuy
people depend on the central forest area known as Prey Lang for their
livelihoods, and their social and spiritual traditions are tied to the
forest.15 Other indigenous and Khmer community groups make similar
claims across the country.
Cambodia has a rich
bio-diversity, including an array of diverse organisms and forest
resource on which many poor people in the countryside depend for
livelihood. However, in recent years the forest resource has
increasingly come under pressure from economic land utilization.
Meanwhile, the country is known to be vulnerable to impacts of climate
change due to its low adaptation capacity. Rural populations are most at
risk to destructive climatic events such flood and drought.16"
