Building a Blue Economy Roadmap for Cambodia

Cambodia’s coastlines make up a vital component of Cambodia’s national economy, contributing to the country’s growth, employment, and food security. In addition, Cambodia’s coastal areas provide critical ecosystem services (ES) that provide natural protection to coastal communities against adverse impacts of climate change. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) is increasingly recognizing this importance and taking steps to harness the potential of the Blue Economy to ensure the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, andjobs, while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. This report is intended to provide an analysis of, and subsequent recommendations for, Cambodia’s sustainable Blue Economy development. Here we focus on three fundamental areas related to marine policy, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and coastal livelihoods including blue growth sectors. We consolidate existing knowledge and data related to Cambodia’s marine and coastal resources and provide recommendations to support the development of a sustainable Blue Economy for Cambodia which can serve as an input for the RGC in the development of its own national blue economy plan or strategy.