In a sitting of parliament yesterday that was rather more subdued than the vicious session that led to an opposition walkout a day earlier, a law to support an environmental program passed with bipartisan support. 

All but two of the 93 legislat-ors present voted in favour of Cambodia ratifying an agreement on the establishment of a Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

In June, the Kingdom signed up with the GGGI at a sustainable development UN conference in Brazil.

Environment Minister Mok Mareth said the GGGI was to be a partnership between developing and developed countries as well as the public and private sector, and aimed at promoting greater living standards while maintaining environmental security.

“We would be driven by the practical priorities of emerging and developing countries which are seeking to engineer a new model of growth,” he said, adding that only developed countries would foot the bill for the scheme.

Opposition Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights Party members said they agreed the plan was a good idea in principle but the government had to stop the rampant destruction of Cambodia’s forests.

To contact the reporter on this story: Vong Sokheng at [email protected]