Cambodia makes seven commitments to tackle climate change at COP28

Cambodia will make seven commitments to combat climate change at the 28th United Nations COP28 climate conference, which tens of thousands of officials, entrepreneurs and activists begin attending this week.

Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth, who represented Cambodia at the meeting, told VOA via cable that he and other representatives from Phnom Penh will widely publicize Cambodia’s commitment during the two-week climate summit.

The minister said he would outline some of the measures in a speech on December 9 or 10, but some were carried over from previous meetings. He added in his speech on December 1: “We are simply continuing to deliver on our promises.”

The seven commitments include:

• Closing 700 MW of coal-fired power projects and replacing them with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plants.
• Promote clean energy generation through the construction of dams, reaching 1,000 megawatts of power by 2028.
• Increase the use of clean, renewable energy, such as solar panels, hydropower and wind power, by 70% by 2030.
• Implement the various components of the Clean Cambodia strategy by gradually reducing the use of plastic bags and properly disposing of solid and liquid waste.
• Implement the Green Cambodia strategy to plant at least 1 million trees each year with the goal of increasing forest cover to 60% by 2050.
• The construction of coal-fired power plants in Cambodia and hydroelectric power stations on the Mekong River are prohibited.

The message also said that Cambodia’s mission at COP28 is to demonstrate the country’s commitment to tackling climate change, thereby attracting tourists and investors while achieving carbon-neutral development by 2050.

Heng Kim Hong, head of research and advocacy at the Cambodia Youth Network Association, praised Cambodia’s seven-point commitment to climate change mitigation. But he said the real test is action to implement those commitments.

He added: “Commitments alone are not enough, there also needs to be implementation and protection mechanisms, legal measures, professional civil servants, and the prevention of corruption in the energy sector and the protection of natural resources.”

“Only in this way can there be real direction to effectively implement the country’s policies and commitments.”

COP28 will be held from November 30 to December 12. The meeting provides an annual opportunity for countries around the world to assess global progress in reducing climate emissions and to reach a new agreement aimed at accelerating that progress.

The overall goals agreed at previous conferences include limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. However, the world is still warming faster than at any time on record, and much work needs to be done.

Rich countries that bear the bulk of responsibility for climate change have also pledged billions of dollars to help poorer nations adapt, although much of that money has yet to materialize.

More than 90,000 participants have registered and attended the conference, including business leaders, youth, climate scientists and journalists. More than 100 of them are from Cambodia, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

This article is part of the 2023 Media Partnership on Climate Change, a reporting fellowship organized by the Internews Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.