A troubling new analysis reveals that the majority of deforestation in Cambodia and Laos during 2024 occurred within areas specifically designated for conservation. According to satellite data analyzed by Mongabay in partnership with the University of Maryland’s Global Land Analysis and Discovery laboratory, a staggering 56% of Cambodia’s forest loss and 64% of Laos’ tree cover destruction happened inside protected areas—raising serious questions about enforcement capabilities in these Southeast Asian nations.

The scale of destruction across the broader Mekong region, which encompasses Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, reached nearly one million hectares (2.5 million acres) in 2024. This devastating loss included approximately 220,000 hectares of irreplaceable primary forest—ancient ecosystems that support critical biodiversity and help regulate the global climate.

Cambodia’s situation highlights a conservation paradox: while the country expanded its protected areas network by 1.1 million hectares in 2023, it simultaneously lost forest area equivalent to major cities like São Paulo or New Delhi. Despite a 22.6% reduction in deforestation compared to 2023, Cambodia still lost 93,000 hectares of forest cover. Environmental groups had previously warned that authorities lacked the resources and capacity to effectively patrol and protect these newly designated areas.

The data suggests that even government-backed infrastructure projects contribute to the problem. In Cambodia’s Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary alone, nearly 9,346 hectares disappeared, partly due to new high-voltage transmission line construction, demonstrating how development pressures continue to threaten protected landscapes across the region.