At a roundtable meeting on November 5, 2026, chaired by Eang Sophalleth, Minister of Environment and Chairman of the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD), the council agreed to establish an ad hoc working group. It will prepare priority actions to respond to risks posed by El Niño and examine opportunities to mobilise assistance in line with the NDC 3.0 plan.
The Ministry of Environment said the phenomenon could cause higher temperatures, water shortages and forest fires that may occur from February to May 2027.
The meeting also raised issues to be incorporated into preparedness activities and subsequent work to address El Niño's impacts. These included agricultural production; human and animal health, particularly the health of students and communities in protected areas; and the environment and biodiversity, particularly forest fire prevention.
The NCSD General Secretariat has been preparing and coordinating a draft set of priority actions to facilitate the work of the ad hoc group.
Although Cambodia is vulnerable to climate change, it remains strongly committed to working actively with the international community through its Circular Strategy on Environment and conservation of 73 protected areas, covering more than 39% of the country's land, towards carbon neutrality by 2050. By: Srey Pi
