New Transmission Lines Pose Threat to Cambodia's Protected Rainforest

KH
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Recent satellite imagery has raised alarms among conservationists over a large-scale electricity transmission line project in Cambodia's protected Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. The project, which was initially approved in 2020 but stalled due to financing and the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed construction earlier this month, clearing a significant strip of land measuring 100 feet by 3.6 miles through the sanctuary.

Environmental experts warn that the 500-kilovolt transmission lines will travel approximately 40 miles, connecting Cambodia's electric grid to Laos. They express deep concerns regarding the detrimental effects on wildlife habitats and the already stressed rainforest ecosystems, particularly for endangered species like the Asian elephant and the Sunda pangolin.

The Prey Lang Community Network, an organization dedicated to protecting the forest, has strongly opposed the project, stating that it threatens biodiversity and could lead to economic hardship for Indigenous communities reliant on the forest's resources. Additionally, the area has been increasingly affected by illegal logging, poaching, and mining operations.

Despite warnings, government officials have shown little response to the community's pleas. The project is predicted to exacerbate deforestation, negatively impact two ongoing REDD+ initiatives aimed at reducing deforestation-related climate change, and disrupt the natural balance of the 1.2 million-acre protected rainforest.

The ongoing situation raises critical questions about environmental priorities, as Cambodia pledges to increase forest coverage to 60% by mid-century. Environmentalists argue that such energy projects contradict these commitments and threaten the ecological integrity of one of the country's last remaining vast rainforest areas.

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