Green Embassy: France’s Commitment to Sustainable Diplomacy

Launched in 2015 ahead of COP21, the national “Green Embassy” project of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs aims to reduce the environmental footprint of France’s 163 embassies around the world. Its goals include achieving carbon neutrality and promoting sustainable practices in energy, water, waste, and biodiversity management.

Embassy Gardens. Photo: CG

In Cambodia, this initiative has been actively implemented since January 2026 toward a greener future, reinforcing local actions in environmental protection and sustainable development.

Concrete Actions in Daily Life

Plastic waste reduction, rigorous waste sorting, energy and water consumption optimization, and soft mobility: the Embassy team applies these measures to minimize its impact while raising staff awareness through internal training sessions.

Inspired by the global successes of the program—such as the installation of solar panels in Zimbabwe (providing 50–75% electricity autonomy) and drip irrigation in Nairobi (saving 70% of water)—the Embassy in Phnom Penh adapts these best practices to Cambodia’s tropical conditions.

“The French Embassy in Cambodia strengthens its efforts to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.”

The French Embassy in Cambodia explains on social media:

“We have a project called ‘Green Embassy’. It aims to raise staff awareness about reducing waste, thereby involving all embassy personnel in this initiative. The ‘Green Embassy’ project is an action of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, ongoing for several years, in which the French Embassy in Cambodia actively participates.

In previous years, we focused on water and electricity consumption. For water, we installed an automatic watering system; for electricity, we replaced all bulbs with LED ones.

This year, we decided to focus on waste management and engage all staff members in reducing plastic use, sorting waste, and recycling.

We created a friendly space with an equipped kitchen, allowing staff to avoid single-use containers. We have set up separate bins: a green bin for organic waste, a yellow bin for recyclables like glass and cardboard, and a black bin for all the rest. The green bin feeds a compost system we built, and we even set up a chicken coop.

Each staff member has been provided with a reusable ‘Green Embassy’ bottle. Water fountains with regularly changed filters have been installed, eliminating the need for plastic bottles or disposable cups.

To implement this project, we were advised by the company Little Greens Park, which helped us carry it out, conducted a waste audit, and connected us with companies to recycle part of our waste. In the long term, the goal is to reduce embassy waste, raise staff awareness of ecological issues, and engage them sustainably in environmental action.”

Strengthened Franco-Cambodian Cooperation

The project extends beyond diplomatic walls by supporting local initiatives—partnerships with associations working on biodiversity, waste management, and sustainable agriculture, in collaboration with the French Development Agency (AFD).

Projects such as Svay Check (climate resilience and agricultural water, €91 million) and Wat4Cam (water management and agroecology, €75 million plus EU grant) illustrate this solidarity, consistent with the Paris Agreement goals.

Outlook: An Exemplary Commitment

With the “Green Embassies Fund” increased to €1 million in 2023, France positions its diplomatic network as a showcase of sustainable expertise, inspiring Cambodian partners toward environmentally respectful development. This diplomatic model combines leadership and cooperation for a more climate-resilient Cambodia.