Phnom Penh, Cambodia – December 15, 2015 – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) today signed a Program Agreement with the Royal Government of Cambodia to implement the joint Green Urban Development Program (GUDP).
Cambodia has one of the fastest-growing urban populations in Southeast Asia expanding at an annual rate of 4.4% per year since 2001. Rapid urbanization is increasing pressure on Cambodia’s natural resources and urban infrastructure with water supply, sanitation, waste management, transport and energy struggling to match the rate of urban growth.
GUDP is a two-year program aiming to develop a methodology for green city growth, generate a prioritized list of green city investment projects, and prepare an investment action plan to mobilize resources for implementation. The program will first be piloted in Phnom Penh, with the intention of future green city planning process replication in other target cities.
The signing ceremony was presided over by H.E. Khieu Muth, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment (MoE), and was attended by 50 government staff from the MoE as well as the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD), which is responsible for implementing the program.
“This program will design a much needed framework for green city development, encompassing environmental governance, air quality, water quality, waste and land management, construction, transportation, energy and minimizing emissions”, said H.E. Khieu Muth, while recognizing GGGI as an important partner in Cambodia’s green growth transition.
GGGI and the MoE have been working closely together since 2011, with GGGI becoming the government’s primary green growth counterpart when the NCSD was established in May 2015.
“This Program Agreement outlines the activities for GGGI for the coming year, and shows the commitment of both GGGI and the National Council for Sustainable Development in working together to deliver urban green growth in Cambodia,” said Adam Ward, GGGI Country Representative in Cambodia. “We have before us an opportunity to create smart cities that are not only engines of growth and productivity but also green.”
The urban population of Cambodia is concentrated in the capital Phnom Penh, but is quickly growing surrounding regions and regional centers such as Siem Reap and Battambang.
GGGI has been working with the Royal Government of Cambodia over the last five years to support green economy policy development and institutional governance for green growth.
About GGGI
Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization founded to support and promote green growth. The organization partners with countries to help them build economies that grow strongly, are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change. GGGI works with countries around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions. To learn more, see https://gggi.org and visit us on Facebook and Twitter.