PHNOM PENH: Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth launched the "Strategic Plan for Local Community Development (2024-2028)" at the Ministry of Environment on the afternoon of January 29, 2024.

During his speech, he spoke on the guidelines of his Ministry’s tree-planting campaign, which aims to make Cambodia a carbon-neutral country with 60% more forest cover by 2050. He called out environmental officials for buying tree saplings to distribute to the people, instead of growing saplings from seed and using existing resources in the region to act within budget. He said that officials should be more creative with their resources.

The Minister instructed environmental officials to plant seedlings in order to cultivate the idea of community ownership, adding that planting trees should come from the heart and inspire the public and youth to grow a greener country.

He said the campaign should cultivate trust from the people in the new administration to lead Cambodia out of poverty and into high middle-income status through the government’s development programs, including in the carbon emissions trade.

The Ministry of Environment said it will continue to organize and improve nurseries in collaboration with the Capital-Provincial Departments of Environment to plant at least 100,000 seedlings (forest and fruit trees) in each province per year and make distribution plans. It also needs to ensure that seedlings are properly planted and cared for.