U.S. Tariffs Derail Cambodia’s Solar Boom

Cambodia’s solar industry rose quickly but has collapsed just as fast. At its peak in 2023, solar exports to the United States totaled $2.4 billion, making it the country’s largest manufacturing export after garments, footwear, and luggage, according to Nikkei Asia. Around a dozen factories opened between 2018 and 2022, creating thousands of jobs and briefly turning solar into a major industry. But Nikkei writes that growth ended after U.S. tariff policy shifted. The Biden administration had granted a two-year waiver on tariffs, but…