Building a greener future: Cambodia paves the way for Just Transition in construction

BANGKOK (ILO News) – Cambodia is stepping up efforts to align its construction sector with climate goals through a Just Transition approach, co-hosting a national workshop in partnership with the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme.

Held in Phnom Penh on 23 April 2025, the national awareness-raising workshop was co-hosted by Cambodia’s Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) and the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT).

The event, titled "Awareness Raising Workshop for Implementing the Global Accelerator through a Just Transition in the Construction Industry in Cambodia," brought together government officials, representatives from workers' and employers' organizations, development partners and the Korea Labour and Employment Service (KLES). Their collective presence underscored growing national commitment to aligning the construction industry with climate goals while safeguarding workers’ rights and livelihoods.

Cambodia’s construction sector, with its large, mostly informal workforce, is especially vulnerable to climate change and in need of targeted action. The workshop aimed to enhance stakeholders’ understanding of the ILO’s Principles of Just Transition, which provide a policy framework to ensure that climate action and economic restructuring are socially inclusive and equitable.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of MLMUPC, Say Sam Al, underscored the urgency of protecting livelihoods while adapting to a climate-resilient future. He emphasized that “just transition is not a choice but a necessity,” and called for a conflict-free environment as a foundation for promoting workers’ rights.

Tun Sophorn, ILO National Coordinator in Cambodia, highlighted the construction sector’s critical role in Cambodia’s economy and the risks faced by over 70,000 workers due to informality and unsafe working conditions. He called for investments in green technologies, skills development, and expanded social protection.

Shin Hochul, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme, reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to supporting climate-resilient economies through inclusive labour policies. He stressed that the transition must guarantee decent work and protection for those most affected by environmental and economic shifts.

The workshop featured a presentation on the ILO’s Just Transition principles, including the 2015 ILO Just Transition Guidelines, and included insights from UNDP and the Cambodia Development Resource Institute on Cambodia’s current status, challenges, and recommendations for advancing Just Transition in the country.

Presentations by MLMUPC, MoLVT, employers’ organizations (CAMFEBA), and trade union representatives helped deepen participants’ understanding of Just Transition and highlighted the need for greater cooperation among stakeholders.

The workshop concluded with a call for joint leadership, inclusive planning, and sustained dialogue. “As a pathfinder country for the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, Cambodia is well-positioned to lead by embedding climate action within its labour policies and advancing a fairer and greener future for its workforce,” Shin added.