Cambodia’s Roadmap for Sustainable Consumption and Production 20222 – 2035

SCP supports the transition of the economy from a traditional growth pattern that is harmful to the environment, human well-being and natural resources towards a circular economy approach and sustainable pathway. Economic growth in many contexts currently gives rise to negative environmental externalities, such as through resource extraction, and pollution of the air, unclean water, and soil degradation, as well as through increased volumes of waste. De-coupling of economic growth from environmental degradation is needed to sustain our quality of life and the quality of the natural environment. SCP supports a paradigm shift from the traditional model of economic growth to a ‘circular economy’ approach, which is based on three things including designing-out of waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. 

Cambodia’s SCP Roadmap provides an alignment with the existing policies and sectoral plans and benefits for Cambodia. The RGC aims to mainstream the SCP principles and actions into different sectors including industry, tourism, construction, and agriculture through the draft Environment and Natural Resources Code.

This draft Code promotes SCP practices through eco-labels and sustainable/green public procurement. Other SCP and relevant documents, policies, regulations, and measures are newly developed and on-going to support and complement this SCP Roadmap, including the Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan (2021-2025). A range of sector-specific regulations, strategies and policies have been adopted that to some extent support SCP or are currently being designed in areas such as tourism, energy, manufacturing and building construction.

 ·         Sustainable Production: It includes actions to support sustainable production of goods and services in Cambodia, which will reduce energy consumption, increase resource efficiency, generate less waste and minimize pollution.

·         Sustainable Distribution: this includes actions to support the distribution of sustainable products and services, such as eco-labelling and product certification programs, sustainable packaging, and product transport and logistics.

·         Sustainable Consumption: it includes actions to enable sustainable consumption, such as through promoting more sustainable consumer behaviour in waste management and recycling, energy consumption, water consumption and personal transport.

·         Sustainable Investment: it includes actions to enable sustainable investment by the public and private sectors, including through the national budget, partnerships with development agencies, partnerships with the private sector, sustainable public procurement, incentives for responsible investment and innovating financing.

·         Values for sustainability: it includes action on education for sustainability, monitoring of the SCP Roadmap, ensuring gender and socially inclusive implementation of the SCP Roadmap, and in research and communications.