PIMS-9985 Advancing ABS Implementation in Cambodia

About this project

Cambodias biodiversity and traditional knowledge (TK) face severe threats due to its transition from a subsistence-based agrarian economy to a consumption-driven cash economy. Urbanization, infrastructure development, poaching, overharvesting of timber and non-wood forest products, and human-wildlife conflicts contribute to habitat and species loss. Despite extensive protected areas, forest conversion for agriculture, urban expansion, and overexploitation of natural resources continue to degrade ecosystems. TK, particularly regarding genetic resources and medicinal plants, is vanishing as ecosystems deteriorate and modern lifestyles replace traditional practices. Rapid economic growth, pollution, climate change, and land use changes compound these challenges, further accelerating biodiversity loss. Currently, 324 native medicinal plant species are classified as potentially threatened, with many no longer available in sufficient quantities for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) to use. As TK fades, the associated cultural and ecological benefits are at risk, creating a cycle of environmental degradation and cultural erosion.

Goals

Sustainable Development Goals this project works towards

• 5Gender Equality
• 15Life on Land

Published by

United Nations Development Programme · Multilateral

Countries

Cambodia

Sectors

Biodiversity

Funded by

Global Environment Fund Truste

Implemented by

CMB-Ministry Of Environment

Accountable

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Published by United Nations Development Programme to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), last updated 5 Oct 2026 and imported automatically. IATI identifier: XM-DAC-41114-PROJECT-01004944.

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