The Southern Cardamom REDD+ Project is an initiative designed to promote climate change mitigation and adaptation, maintain biodiversity and create alternative livelihoods. The 445,339 ha SCRP include parts of Southern Cardamom National Park and Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary and be protect a critical part of the Cardamom Mountains Rainforest Ecoregion – one of the 200 most important locations for biodiversity conservation on the planet. 

The Project’s climate benefits include the avoided emission of approximately 12 million t CO2e during this first monitoring period and over 115,000 million t CO2e over the lifetime of the Project. The Project  generate substantial community and biodiversity co-benefits. 

New and sustainable livelihood opportunities, such as direct employment, alternative income generating activities (IGAs) and initiatives to stimulate investment in businesses will be designed to reduce pressure on the environment while significantly increasing community well-being. 

Additional programs will address food security, improve health and education facilities, as well as raise environmental awareness. Biodiversity co-benefits get a greater protection of the ecosystem predominantly by means of increased security and improved monitoring. The Project also be protecting critical habitat for significant populations of many IUCN listed species, including Asian elephant, Asiatic black bear, sun bear, large spotted civet, clouded leopard, and dhole, as well as the critically endangered reptiles Siamese crocodile and Southern river terrapin.