"Flood risk for one million in Phnom Penh as wetlands destroyed", 27 July 2020

More than one million people in Phnom Penh face the risk of increased flooding and loss of livelihoods as wetlands in the Cambodian capital are destroyed to build apartments and industries, human rights groups warned ...

Developments - including the ING City township - will reduce the Tompoun wetlands to less than a tenth of its 1,500 hectares (5.8 sq miles), and lead to the eviction of more than 1,000 families who live on its edge, activists said in a report.

It would also impoverish thousands of families who farm and fish in the wetlands in the city of 1.5 million people.

“The wetlands sustain local communities and play a vital role in Phnom Penh’s waste management and flood prevention,” said the report from Equitable Cambodia, LICADHO, the Cambodian Youth Network and land rights group Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT)…

Lakes and wetlands such as floodplains, mangroves and marshes regulate water flow, minimise flooding, purify water and replenish groundwater, said Diane Archer, a senior research fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute in Bangkok.

“City authorities should recognise wetlands as an important resource to be protected and integrated into the urban environment,” she told …

Dredging the more than 100 million tonnes of sand needed for infilling poses added risks to communities and the environment, said Eang Vuthy, executive director of Equitable Cambodia.

“Given that millions will be affected, in-depth studies and public consultations are needed,” he said…