Environment minister Say Sam Al (right) meets South Korean ambassador Park Heung-kyeong to discuss climate change at the environment ministry on Wednesday. ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY
Minister of Environment Say Sam Al has confirmed Cambodia’s support for South Korea’s candidacy to host the 28th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 28) in 2023.
Sam Al affirmed the position in a meeting with South Korean ambassador to Cambodia Park Heung-kyeong at the ministry on August 18.
In requesting Cambodia’s support for his government’s bid to host the conference, Park said South Korea and other countries in Asia are highly committed to resolving climate change issues and providing funds through the Green Climate Fund.
Sam Al supported the request and welcomed the proposal, which he said will benefit countries in the environmental and agricultural sectors.
“The environment ministry supports South Korea as the host candidate for the COP 28 climate change conference in 2023,” he said.
The minister also asked South Korea to continue to promote agricultural technologies that manage climate change and support crops such as rice.
Park pointed out the expansion of the Official Development Assistant (ODA) project, which has seen continued cooperation with Cambodia in human resource training programmes in various fields. He also asked that Cambodia support South Korean companies investing in cultivating bamboo.
Park said at the 2nd Partnering for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit on May 30-31 that Cambodia has a rich natural resource base that is a key to food security and people’s livelihoods, but it is threatened by climate change.
He said that in response to global efforts to combat climate change, South Korea has proclaimed its ambitious initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Last year the South Korean government announced a congressional resolution that set out a major plan to tackle climate change. The government plans to invest $62 billion in short- and long-term projects so the economy can recover after the decline caused by Covid-19.
The ambassador added that some of the plans include converting the country’s carbon-intensive industries into low-carbon ones and promoting the use of renewable energy such as solar, wind and hydropower.
During the meeting, Park praised the Cambodian government for its successful nationwide vaccination campaign.
