Towards a More Inclusive and Responsible Development in Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong Provinces

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA or EIA) is mandatory for all medium to large development projects in Cambodia, including those initiated by private individuals, companies, joint ventures, public companies, or government ministries and agencies. The legal framework for the EIA is established under the Environment and Natural Resource Code, which is aligned with Cambodia’s Constitution and emphasizes the importance of environmental protection.

Key finding:

• Environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations and clauses are not effectively enforced, revealing significant gaps in actual practice.
• Coastal residents remain solely dependent on the marine fisheries though there have been many development and investment projects in the recent years. This highlights the overwhelming reliance on marine fisheries for subsistence and economic activity among coastal communities.
• The communities’ natural resources have been declining, posing future local economic instability for the communities. 
• The ineffective governance of community-based groups (CBGs) is a significant factor accelerating the decline of natural resources in many coastal communities.
• The external pressures exerted by individual elites and private investment companies on Cambodia’s marine coastline and estuaries have been a significant and ongoing concern for nearly a decade.
• The issue of ineffective legal enforcement in managing and protecting natural resources, particularly marine resources, in Cambodia's coastal provinces, like Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk provinces, has emerged as a critical concern.
• The issue of limited information on the project portfolios, financers, and sustainability-related policies of coastal private investment projects in Cambodia highlights significant concerns regarding business transparency, integrity, and the overall governance of these projects.