The complex challenge of managing urban growth and development in the context of climate and environmental change has led to a proliferation of policy discourses related to the ‘green city’. While useful as a buzzword, it is argued that green city discourses often overlook or even mask questions of social and environmental justice. This case study of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, shows that the presence of green and sustainable city discourses in policymaking does not reflect the reality of urban planning practices. Instead, it has produced an urban vision reflective of the priorities of global capital while contributing to the ongoing destruction of urban biodiversity and the marginalization of urban residents living in poverty. It is argued that a reconceptualization of the green city be undertaken, which incorporates understanding of participatory and distributive justice to ensure that urban planning practices are inclusive and sustainable.