Canada Backs Cambodia’s Climate Efforts, Pledges Stronger Cooperation on Clean Energy

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 2, 2025) — Canada has pledged to expand cooperation with Cambodia on clean energy development and climate change mitigation, following a meeting between Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth and Canadian Ambassador Christian DesRoches on December 1.

Sophalleth highlighted Cambodia’s progress under the national cleanliness and plastic reduction campaign, which has engaged more than 14 million people and led to visible improvements in public spaces.

He also outlined efforts to promote waste sorting in schools and plans to build standardized waste collection sites and recycling infrastructure to generate both environmental and economic benefits.

DesRoches praised Cambodians for reducing plastic use and reaffirmed Canada’s interest in supporting renewable energy, waste-to-energy projects and clean technology. He said Canada is exploring additional areas of cooperation to strengthen Cambodia’s climate resilience and sustainable development.

The pledge comes as Cambodia advances its Power Development Master Plan 2022–2040, prepared with support from the Asian Development Bank. The plan projects rising energy demand and calls for diversifying supply, increasing the share of clean energy, and investing in efficiency to strengthen energy security.

Officials say the roadmap is central to Cambodia’s long-term climate strategy, aligning with its commitments under the Paris Agreement and its vision of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030.