Key Highlights:

• Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasizes the mandatory Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for all development projects.
• No approval for hydropower dam projects on the Mekong mainstream to prevent adverse impacts.
• Recent efforts include canceling a coal power plant project, aiming to increase renewable energy usage to 70% by 2030.
• Establishment of a waste management committee in 2021 to address town waste.
• The Ministry of Mines and Energy was instructed not to issue more licenses for mining in the Prey Lang area.

PHNOM PENH: All development projects have to apply for the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, stressed at the annual meeting of the Ministry of Environment, held here this afternoon.

The construction projects of bridges, and hydropower dams … need the EIA, the Premier underlined.
“Based on this commitment, we have not approved any hydropower dam project on the Mekong mainstream to prevent the strong impact on our people and the environment,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, in the past three months in office, the Royal Government has put all efforts into environmental sustainability and protection, including the cancellation of a 700-megawatt coal power plant project by introducing LNG instead, and the commitment to increase the use of renewable energy from the current 60 percent to 70 percent by 2030.

Besides, he added, a waste management committee was formed in 2021 to manage waste in towns.

The Prime Minister also ordered the Ministry of Mines and Energy not to issue any more licenses for mining in the Prey Lang area in the country's northern part.