Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 5 – Ambassador of the United States (US) to Cambodia Patrick Murphy said that sustainable natural resource management is significant in the ongoing bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and the US.

The US ambassador paid a courtesy call on Cambodian minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth on 4 October 2023 at the Ministry of Environment.

Ambassador Murphy highlighted past collaborations, such as Mekong-US wildlife protection and the Greening Prey Lang project. He reaffirmed the US’s readiness to continue cooperation on Green Future development in the Tonle Sap region, and the Cambodia Climate Summit in November.

In addition, ambassador said that the US has provided the most funding to the Green Climate Fund in response to climate change among developing countries, including Cambodia. In addition, the US Ambassador also asked the minister to understand the priorities of the Ministry of Environment.

For his part, minister Eang Sophalleth expressed gratitude to the US for its contributions to the protection of natural resources and collaboration on addressing global concerns over climate change.

Minister Sophalleth also informed that the ministry's first priority focuses on reducing plastic usage, involving more than 1.4 million students so far. Educating children on the importance of separating waste and recycling materials is instrumental in instigating generational change, with future generations expected to follow suit. This approach has already yielded successful results, leading to effective waste management.

The second priority is the rehabilitation and reforestation of trees to achieve carbon neutrality and enhance the livelihoods of communities in response to climate change. By promoting ecotourism in protected areas, local communities can harness the potential of resource-bearing trees to boost, as well as sustain their economies. These combined efforts contribute to sustainable socio-economic development and resilience to climate change, attracting investments for greener communities, the minister added.

Eang Sophalleth continued that the third priority is to join with international partners to address global issues that focus primarily on climate change.
=FRESH NEWS