Environmental research

This project aims to give reliable electricity to 120 households through working with private sector to reconstruct mini-hydro power that contributed to Climate Change mitigation, through promotion of using renewable energy and tree-planting. The objectives of the project include reducing carbon emissions by at least 143.50 Ton CO2, and in Volume: 81254.53 m3, to increase understanding of conservation issues by at least 20%, and to reduce natural resource dependency by 15%. An existing micro-hydro power plant will be reconstructed to provide cheap and green electricity to at least 120 families (with the potential for it to extend to 350 families). This will officially be part-owned by the community, with 20% of the profits going to a community fund. This project will support the CBO with capacity-building trainings, with small grants for tourism equipment, and with marketing and promotion to ensure that tourists begin to visit the site. Trainings will make the link very strongly between conservation and stewardship for the environment, and the alternative income stream from tourists, to increase villager s motivation to protect the environment. Finally, this project will support alternative livelihood strategies for 275 families in the target communes. This will improve food security and increase disposable incomes, which will reduce the vulnerability of the people, which will in turn reduce dependency on natural resources by at least 15%. As over-fishing and over-exploitation of forest resources are the biggest threats to biodiversity, this aspect will greatly benefit species and habitats in this critically important area.

Cambodia