‘I need to plant more trees than they cut’: Cambodia’s environment minister wants to boost nation’s green credentials

From 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge held power in Cambodia for just under 45 months and left almost 3 million Cambodian civilians dead. Decades on, the nation is still grappling with the legacy of the genocide and mass violence. 

“Cambodia is on a very different development trajectory,” says Sophalleth, the nation’s environment minister who has been behind a series of high-visibility initiatives to rejuvenate and clean up Cambodia for the past year since he took up the role. He paints Cambodia as a misunderstood country, but also one that can still transform itself, if given a chance to.

A major initiative of the environment ministry has been the setting up of nurseries across the country as part of its campaign to distribute over one million seedlings for free to members of the public for reforestation efforts. Nearly 75 per cent of forest loss has occured since the end of 1990s, a trend that the Cambodian government says it wants to try to reverse. It aims to increase Cambodia’s forest cover by 60 per cent by 2050. 

Cambodia’s environment minister Eang Sophalleth (left) at the lunch interview with Eco-Business deputy editor Ng Wai Mun. Image: Eco-Business

During the one-hour lunch interview at the environment ministry’s building in central Phnom Penh, Sophalleth was keen to demonstrate Cambodia’s ambition to meet its green commitments as well as his own openness to scrutiny from outsiders and foreign media outlets – he mentions it many times. In the lead-up to the interview, Sophalleth communicates without the intervention of a press liaison officer, often responding to WhatsApp messages himself. At a large-scale fair set up to distribute the tree saplings right outside the ministry, Sophalleth interacts in a casual manner with representatives of non-governmental organisations and members of the public. 

Yet, beneath his gentle and calm demeanour is a steely determination to get more people to see things from the Cambodian political leadership’s perspective. He is unforgiving in his attitude towards citizens taking activism to the streets. He rejects criticisms of the current regime or what he describes as distortions of Cambodia’s image, with the media’s tendency to focus on Cambodia’s track record on illegal logging and human rights violations. 

“I think it is time for us to stop pointing fingers. The media should help us encourage people to work for a better environment,” he said. 

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We have three objectives: Clean individual mindsets. Clean the environment. Clean people’s perceptions of Cambodia on the world stage. 

 

Environmental campaigners, however, said that many of the questions they have for the government are focused on redirecting resources to where they will be most effective. Heng Kimhong, head of research and advocacy of the Cambodia Youth Network (CYN) said that it is a positive development that the ministry is engaging in reforestation initiatives, but what it really needs to do is to ensure that environmental codes and policies for rangers to protect  forests are enforced. 

Heng pointed out corruption as a key issue that plagues Cambodia. “It is the biggest problem when it comes to protecting the forests. Local rangers and local authorities sometimes collude with the loggers or poachers. They do not care as long as they get the money and will allow locals to enter protected areas to clear the trees.” 

In a recent court case, 10 activists from a conservation group were also sentenced to jail, a development which Sophalleth responds to in the interview. Heng said the government should rethink such harsh punishments on the youths as it creates disillusionment. “Those that should be arrested are the polluters and illegal loggers. Young people should be encouraged to be part of social development.” 

Shomi Kim, Cambodia country representative at the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), which works closely with the environment ministry, said that stopping deforestation and expanding reforestation initiaitves has the greatest potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the organisation is supportive of government efforts. “If we look at the share of contributors to emissions in Cambodia, forestry and land use has the biggest share.” 

GGGI worked with the ministry to launch a manual for the implementation of Article 6 under the Paris Agreement to help prepare Cambodia to gain access to carbon financing in the future. 

In this exclusive interview, Sophalleth discusses Cambodia’s carbon projects, the ministry’s series of green initiatives, and shares how his personal experience growing up in the country shaped his beliefs. 

A major sapling distribution event was held outside the environment ministry building, where members of the public could take tree saplings home for free. Image: Ng Wai Mun / Eco-Business

Since you took up the role as environment minister a year ago, Cambodia has launched a five-year circular strategy and various high-profile initiatives. Can you share more about your vision? 

Our environment strategy is simple and straightforward. It has three pillars: Clean, green and sustainable. We also have a plan for one million trees to be planted this year with the aim of making sure to increase Cambodia’s forest cover to 60 per cent by 2050. We also want to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. All these initiatives have the strong backing of our prime minister Hun Manet. 

How will we get there? We are starting with campaigns. We have piloted the “Today, I do not use plastic bags” campaign, targeted at changing the attitude of Cambodian people towards single-use plastic, particularly getting children in school to pledge their commitments. We will now expand the initiative to all schools. We are also cleaning up Cambodia, and more than 5 million people have joined the movement to join in clean-up activities at public areas. By the end of next year, I hope that we will no longer see waste in urban public areas. We have also reduced the import of plastic to Cambodia within the past 10 months by about 74 per cent. Next, we will advocate for better waste separation in schools, temples, hospitals and public facilities, even in rural areas, which do not even have sufficient garbage bins. 

This major clean-up and rejuvenation of Cambodia will create a better home for all of us. Most importantly, we want to show the guests a different Cambodia when they visit. We want investors to see Cambodia is not a dirty country.

The environment ministry launched a “Today, I say no to plastic bags” campaign to cut down single-use plastic waste. Image: Ng Wai Mun / Eco-Business

Why is there an emphasis on changing outsiders’ perceptions? Does the idea of a clean and green Cambodia feel far away for you personally? 

I have talked to people outside of Cambodia and they do not understand our history. Some ask: Why don’t you implement a law and just ban single-use plastic? Why focus on education only? But Cambodia is on a very different development trajectory. Firstly, there are still people living in the rural areas who do not enjoy basic amenities and do not know how to read. So our work on waste management here is very different. We first need a mindset change. 

Cambodians have been through the Khmer Rouge regime, which was responsible for a genocide that caused the deaths of almost 3 million people. Then, we did all we could to survive. People left the cities. There was no currency to spend or use, no food to eat. 

In 1993, we held our first election after decades of violence, civil strife and political turmoil. The country started evolving and developing, but that was also when people started to enjoy luxury items and plastic use became rampant. We did not know how dangerous that would become. We did not know how to manage waste properly because the economy had just opened up. People tasted the fruits of development but did not have the experience to manage the environment.

In a way, we were quite primitive. And now we are trying to revamp the country and be reborn again. We are trying to educate the people about waste while also getting them to commit to action. We have to have both. We have also learnt from the experiences of other countries, and will find the best way that works for Cambodia. Some countries use money, some countries use the law, but we will use the heart and the head, and get the people involved. 

Students and teachers in the Preah Theat commune participating in a local clean-up. Image: Eang Sophalleth / LinkedIn

You are giving out free saplings for people to plant along streets and roads. And you once mentioned that once these saplings grow, they will generate carbon credits that could be sold to contribute to national development and boost the green economy. Would you say the economic aspect of this tree-planting campaign is the most important? 

Yes. To me, the aim to achieve 60 per cent forest cover by 2050 is an ambitious one, and the most important one. Cambodia is in a unique and good position to do that. 

Forests are a source of oxygen for all beings on the planet. Protecting the forests will guarantee clean air for all, as well as healthy people and nature. When we have that, we can do a lot of things. Secondly, this would attract tourists and investors, which would generate income that will contribute to the economy. The forests will become a treasure trove for future generations, with carbon credits as the main mechanism that could generate annual income for Cambodians. 

The ministry has formulated a strategic plan to develop ecotourism within the breathtaking landscapes of Phnom Kulen, which is considered a holy mountain in Cambodia. Through such initiatives, we also want to create different avenues of income so that local communities can stop depending on logging and illegal poaching. We want to turn the people living in protected areas into entrepreneurs and empower them to be the managers of the land, even though the land belongs to the government. We allow them to become forest stewards, so they have something less dangerous to do, but with more income. I believe they welcome this concept very much. 

At Kirirom national park, another ecotourism site, we have constructed a meditation site within the Buddhist Cultural Centre of Cambodia, incorporating traditional Cambodian design and architecture. Hundreds of people now go there every week to meditate in nature. They get the feeling of cleanliness and learn the Buddhist way to be honest and trustworthy, which are very important values. 

So there are three objectives: Clean individual mindsets. Clean the environment. Clean people’s perceptions of Cambodia on the world stage.

What are the main distortions of Cambodia’s image that you disagree with? Is that why you have been careful about opening up to international media?

Right now, I am opening up. I would do interviews with anyone. I want people to write the truth about Cambodia, not more, not less. 

I am always asked: There is logging, are you doing anything about it? My answer is: We are taking a zero-tolerance approach towards illegal loggers. There is no excuse, we will make sure those who run afoul of the law go to jail. But the media does not have to paint this picture of illegal logging happening in Cambodia every day. There are also questions on human rights that keep getting highlighted. 

And we also have to push forward with reforestation and planting trees. I need to plant more trees than they cut to achieve our national goal. I want to see all the roads tree-lined, and it will take at least a decade to do that. Within 10 months, we have been able to produce 1.3 million tree saplings that can be given out for free to members of the public. It is not enough and next year we will provide more. We are building provincial nurseries to ensure that gets done.

Tell us more about what you are doing to get tough on illegal loggers. Are there more arrests and convictions? 

In our current term, the government is focusing on four measures to protect our forests. 

First, we will apply the law fully to anyone who commits a crime against nature. 

Second, we will work with local authorities, support them and give them resources such as satellite maps and drones for monitoring. For the past 10 months, we have taken back tens of thousands of hectares of encroached land. We have made an arrest of a leader who is the mastermind behind a criminal group behind land grabbing. We are very optimistic that the systematic work of monitoring and evaluation will deliver good results for fighting crimes against nature. 

Third, we are collaborating with the anti-corruption unit, military police and army. If we know of any illegal logging activities, we hand it over for them to investigate and make sure whoever is responsible is punished. 

At a higher level, the prime minister is backing this. He is very serious about tackling crimes against nature. 

But even as you acknowledge that the problem of deforestation is still there, do you think enough is being done? Do you expect to see the numbers for forest loss improving in the next few years? Studies show that Cambodia lost forest cover the size of the city of Los Angeles or about 121,000 hectares just in 2023 alone. 

With the measures we are taking, I think we will see forest cover expanding. At the beginning, the changes might be small but within the decade, I hope to see change. 

But also do remember that Cambodia has a very short history. This year only marks the 45th anniversary since the end of the genocide. We only had complete peace for the last 25 years. I would say if Cambodia previously was like a teenager who was enjoying life and partying, now it is maturing. This is where we are at now. We do make mistakes when we are young, but now we want to be accountable, and we ask the world to give us a chance. 

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I am always asked: There is logging, are you doing anything about it? My answer is: We are taking a zero-tolerance apporach towards illegal loggers. But the media does not have to paint this picture of illegal logging happening in Cambodia every day. 

We often rely on external statistics to track the situation of forest loss in Cambodia. Will the ministry be more open with data as well? 

For non-governmental organisations, data can be obtained from the field as long as they are knowledgeable enough. If not, we are wary that they just want the data so that they can show it to the public to amplify some of the issues they are campaigning for. That is not a legitimate reason. 

I once did an interview and the reporter asked what my perception towards activists was. “Do you open the door to them or do you close it?” he asked. I said I welcome everyone, from activists to Indigenous communities or anyone who loves the environment. 

But I also say if activists are not knowledgeable, they cannot be good activists. They are then only activists who cause disruption and disturbance. They do not understand how the government works. They keep asking for more – more action and more data – but they are not transparent and accountable themselves. Then they question my credentials. But I have been working in various ministries for many years and I know my stuff.

Many times foreign media and foreigners attack Cambodia for losing forests without explaining that there are other initiatives that we are working on or that we are facing other challenges. For example, we need to deal with droughts and extreme weather. The plastic problem is complex. I think it is time for us to stop pointing fingers. The media should help us encourage people to work for a better environment. 

Since you brought up the topic of activism and foreign influence, I’d like to get you to respond to the case of how members of the group Mother Nature have been jailed for sounding the alarm on river pollution and for conspiring against the government. Among those jailed are young environmental activists who have been sentenced to six to eight years of imprisonment, and that is quite harsh. At the same time, I’ve heard people say that a foreigner was at the helm of the organisation and bringing to Cambodia “illegal political influence”. 

Yes, this is exactly what I am referring to when I say that foreigners are taking advantage of our young people and making them misunderstand what the government does. The government believes that there is a political agenda that the group is pushing, and foreigners are orchestrating this and youths who are just about 15-year-old are psychologically influenced. They join the movement, follow the plan and idolise the leaders. 

But if so, then why jail the youths? Is there a way to relook at what the law does to activists?

Singapore has an anti-drug stance, so the Singapore government also is protective of their laws. We have to respect the law. So I would support 100-per-cent law enforcement. 

I also don’t think they should be called activists. They are just youths influenced by the wrong people. What have they been doing besides going out on the streets to scream this and say that? 

The real activists are the people following me now. They are not being jailed. I embrace and love them. The ones who go on the streets and shout their protest slogans, they are actors. I would say, don’t be fooled. 

There are also credibility issues surrounding carbon projects. International carbon credit certification body Verra had to suspend further issuance of the Southern Cardamom project last year as there were allegations of human rights abuses made. What will Cambodia do to ensure forest-based carbon projects work?

 [Note: As of 11 September, Verra has reinstated the Southern Cardamom project after a 14-month review and steps taken to address the allegations.]

Cambodia is committed to the international standards of transparency and sustainability. We are following Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. We have also published an operation manual for Article 6-aligned projects. I think we have nothing to hide. 

I also wouldn’t say that the project is suspended. It is the verification body Verra that is under pressure for various reasons. It took them two full years to verify the project, and each government term is only four to five years, so it is very slow. I appeal to all that we should have more verifying companies. Why don’t we have a regional verifier that understands Asean’s challenges? Then we don’t have to depend on Verra. 

You seem to have a special relationship with meditation which has led to some of the meditation-oriented ecotourism initiatives. Tell us more about how that came about. 

My father was a teacher and the Khmer Rouge took him when I was four years old, in 1970. My mother took my four siblings and me away from the village we grew up in, and then I started living in a Buddhist temple. It was only in 1979 that I started studying again in Phnom Penh. Then I went to Thailand, where I learnt English and traditional medicine, while working for the UN Refugee Agency. In 1984, I was sent to Canada where I furthered my studies. 

So I would say a lot of how I have gone through life is supported by meditation. I remember I had a teacher who taught me how to regulate my breathing by focusing on an image of someone who is always happy and smiling, so I would stare at Buddha’s statue. I still do that very often. It teaches me self-control. I think about what Buddha would do as a nice person should.

Part of Cambodia’s circular strategy is a push by the government to set up meditating spaces in nature reserves. In this picture, Eang Sophallet (sixth from left) joins a meditation activity. Image: Eang Sophalleth / LinkedIn

A lot of the high-visibility initiatives you are promoting have the backing of the prime minister, you’ve said. Do you see more budget going to the environment ministry for more ambitious initiatives? 

I am very thankful to our prime minister. He is very pro-environment and he is the one who has been talking about reallocating the budgets so that more is spent on protecting the environment. 

But I don’t like to spend money. I like to make money. So a lot of the initiatives that the ministry has pushed for look at different ways to get capital and resources to support our green goals. For example, some will ask if we are allocating a budget to encourage the use of electric vehicles in Cambodia but I think these initiatives should not be our priority.