Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 15 November 2023— Cambodia has expressed support, and H.E. Dr. Eang Sophalleth, Minister of the Ministry of Environment, launched the ‘Blue Skies & Net Zero 2050 Campaign, making Cambodia the first GGGI member country in Southeast Asia to endorse the GGGI’s global initiative. The campaign and the first event aim to raise awareness of Cambodia’s climate actions and to build more support to achieve a net zero emission goal by 2050. The launching of Blue Skies & Net Zero 2050 Campaign in Cambodia was done together with the launch of Ministry of Environment’s Circular Strategy on Environment 2023-2028.
In the launching event, supported by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Oxfam in Cambodia, H.E. Dr. Eang Sophalleth, Minister of the Ministry of Environment, said, “This creates an excellent platform for engaging all stakeholders, including the youth, in raising awareness on climate change and building resilience. I am committed to promoting clean, green, and sustainable for the development of Cambodia and this campaign is in line with our vision.”
A range of essential topics were discussed during the high-level panel session and youth debate at the event which took place at Mok Mareth Hall, Ministry of Environment. These included the urgent need to highlighting the necessary transformation of Cambodia’s transportation and industry sectors to mitigate their negative impacts on air quality, and the need for investment, and the evolving landscape of the green finance sector in the country. These discussions emphasized the significance of transitioning towards sustainable practices and technologies to combat climate change in Cambodia.
Ms. Sandrine Boucher, AFD Country Director for Cambodia said, “With years of experience in air quality and having witnessed the global impacts of air pollution, AFD is committed to sharing its technical expertise with Cambodia to help equip the country in combating the increasingly negative effects of air pollution.” She continued, “We are excited to see this initiative being kicked off in Cambodia.”
Ms. Shomi Kim, GGGI Country Representative in Cambodia, said, “We are pleased to witness the enthusiasm among government stakeholders, development partners, private sector and the youth, all coming together in one place to collectively discuss and debate on the progress and reflection of Cambodia’s journey toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050.”
Ms. Sophoan Phean, Oxfam National Director, said, “We applaud Cambodia’s commitment to the ‘Blue Skies & Net Zero 2050’ campaign. By endorsing this global initiative, Cambodia is taking a significant step towards addressing climate change and building a sustainable future. This commitment can only be achieved by concerted efforts from all actors. Oxfam sees the critical importance of having communities who are most impacted by the climate change and youth to be part of the actions. We are proud to be part of this launch event, and we look forward to collaborating with stakeholders to promote inclusive and equitable climate action, particularly in vulnerable communities.”
Further discussions explored the strategic involvement of the private sector, and youth-led initiatives focused on sustainability. The Blue Skies & Net Zero 2050 Campaign in Cambodia aims to raise awareness about of climate actions that align with the priorities of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s priorities, set in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality (LTS4CN) as well as other national policies and targets.
Launched by GGGI and the Climate Change Center (Republic of Korea) in 2020, the Blue Skies & Net Zero 2050 Campaign serves as a platform that brings together governments, businesses, civil society groups, youth groups, and the public sector to enhance and build more vital public awareness of both air pollution and promote Cambodia country’s commitments to carbon neutrality.