CCAC Support for Air Pollution and SLCP Mitigation in Cambodia

These super pollutants resulted from the increase in transportation, waste, cooling equipment and air conditioning, etc. These super pollutants are not only harmful to the environment, contributing significantly to climate change, but they also pose severe health risks including respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and premature deaths, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. 

Efforts to improve air quality in Cambodia are gaining momentum. Government initiatives, along with support from international organizations, are focusing on reducing emissions from key sources such as transportation, agriculture, and industry. A notable example is the promotion of cleaner cooking technologies to reduce black carbon emissions from traditional biomass stoves.

Another effort is the implementation of greenhouse gas emission reduction technologies in paddy fields by establishing a large paddy area water management system.  The application of Alternate Wetting and Drying method aims at reducing the methane emission from rice field by 30% - 50% and water use by 10% - 20% without reducing rice yield. This project is supported by JICA from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2029.

Since Cambodia partnered with CCAC in 2014, it has been supported financially and technically. From 2021 to 2023, Cambodia received five projects to support the development of policies or regulations as well as to build the capacity of Cambodian government officers and related stakeholders in various sectors. 

Those projects include the implementing improved vehicle emission standards, the implementation priority measures in Cambodia's Clean Air Action Plan, the development of National Methane Roadmap, Deliver a Tier 2 GHG inventory for the agriculture sector and the development of a strategy for the stationary engine sub-sector. 

Further, another new project namely delivers training programs for the implementation of decrees for reducing open waste burning and air pollution will also be provided to Cambodia.

For instance, the project entitled “implementing improved vehicle emission standards of vehicle and fuel standards” produced several outputs including the development of roadmap to Euro 6/VI, updated sub-decree on air pollution control and noise management, and establishment of technical guidelines on fuel quality monitoring and vehicle emission standards.

 

Mr. Him Chandath, Deputy Director of the Department of Air Quality, Noise and Vibration Management, General Directorate of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Environment, and the CCAC funded project implementer, said that with support from international development partners, notably the CCAC, the efforts to reduce air pollution, including SLCPs, will be successfully implemented and will contribute to the improvement of air quality, crop loss and ultimately improvement of human health.