Cambodia’s current economic model is linear: resources are extracted, turned into products, consumed, and finally disposed. Over the last decade Cambodia’s growing economy and population have vastly increased the use of energy, materials and the amount of waste generated. This has added significant pressure on Cambodia’s natural resources and ecosystems.​​

In response, the Royal Government of Cambodia has committed to advancing circularity in an attempt to decouple economic growth from adverse environmental impacts. To support this effort, UNDP Cambodia has adopted a portfolio approach to articulate its offer for accelerate the development of a circular economy, prioritizing material flow across entire value chain (sustainable production, consumption and waste management).