Hanoi (VNA) – Cambodia’s coastal provinces of Koh Kong, Kampot, Kep and Preah Sihanouk face the risk of severe economic losses due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion and flooding, according to a recent report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Across the region, annual economic losses from flooding in 30 coastal economies could reach 172–199 billion USD by 2050.
In its Asia-Pacific Climate Outlook 2026: Coastal Risks on the Rise – Actions for a Resilient Future, ADB warns that climate hazards will intensify between now and the end of the 21st century, threatening Cambodia’s port operations, fisheries, foreign trade and tourism. The report also calls for stronger international financing mechanisms to limit economic losses and enhance the resilience of coastal areas.
Yevgeniy Zhukov, Director General of ADB’s Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, stressed that coastal areas are key drivers of growth in Asia and the Pacific but have not received adequate attention. He called for the immediate implementation of long-term, risk-based solutions to protect communities and sustain economic activity amid rising sea levels and increasingly severe climate hazards.
According to Cambodia’s Coastal Master Plan, prepared by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the country has a coastline of 435 km and an exclusive economic zone covering approximately 55,600 sq.km. Preah Sihanouk serves as a key economic hub, linked to Koh Kong, Kampot and Kep through major investment sectors such as tourism, agro-processing, export-oriented manufacturing, petrochemicals and clean energy.
ADB forecasts that under a scenario of temperatures rising by 3 degrees Celsius, approximately 28% of Cambodia’s coastline could face severe erosion by 2050, with the shoreline retreating more than 25 metres inland. This proportion could rise to 37% by 2100. Projections based on current emissions trends indicate that sea levels in Cambodia could rise by 20 cm by 2050 and 80 cm by 2100, putting around 204,000 people at risk of coastal flooding by the end of the century.
Seaports, fisheries and mangrove ecosystems are expected to be among the hardest hit. These impacts could threaten food security, fishermen’s livelihoods, transport and trade, while degrading coastal mangrove forests, particularly in Koh Kong province.
ADB recommends that Cambodia mobilise more public funding for long-term climate resilience projects while strengthening the government’s capacity to develop and implement them. One ongoing initiative is the Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project, backed by 104 million USD in funding from ADB and the French Development Agency, which aims to restore nearshore marine ecosystems and support the recovery of coastal fisheries.
According to the report, Cambodia receives approximately 22.92 USD per person annually from international public climate adaptation finance. Its coastal-inland welfare gap index stands at +0.704, indicating that under the study’s measurement framework, people in coastal areas enjoy relatively higher living standards than those in inland areas./.
Cambodia asks for FAO support to strengthen early warning systems
Thor Chetha said the ministry considered weather and climate services an essential public function that helps improve agricultural productivity, manage water resources more effectively, reduce disaster risks and promote sustainable development.
