KUCHING: Sarawak will establish its own climate change centre which will serve as a centralised hub to coordinate, manage and guide climate change and carbon trading initiatives.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the carbon plan for Sarawak is a significant undertaking that requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach to be successful.
“It is crucial to establish a new Sarawak government governance framework body to oversee and manage all matters related to climate change and carbon trading.
“One potential name for this body is the Sarawak Climate Change Centre, which will serve as a centralised hub for coordinating, managing, supporting, and guiding all climate change and carbon trading initiatives in Sarawak,” he said in his keynote speech during the Asia Carbon Conference 2023 at Pullman Hotel here today.
He said the establishment of the centre will help Sarawak position itself as a leader in climate change and carbon trading initiatives in the region, attracting investment and talent to drive sustainable economic growth.
“The Sarawak Climate Change Centre can also support the development of policies and regulations that promote sustainable practices, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable forestry management, among others.
“We need the leadership, expertise, and resources to ensure the realisation of the plan’s ambitious goals, positioning Sarawak as a leader in climate change and sustainable economic growth,” he added.
Later at a press conference, Abang Johari said the government is enhancing its legal framework in terms of carbon trading rules and carbon storage.
“The legal framework is now in stages and being worked out by our lawyers. We are working together with international bodies. Not only on our own but we have to engage with international stakeholders, to provide proper rules on how to monitor all the components.
“We are the first state to implement the framework because we have amended our land code, including our forest ordinance, that enables us to start carbon trading and carbon storage. This has already been implemented and we are already working on the mechanisms,” he said.
Abang Jo also said that so far there are five countries that have their interest in the state’s carbon capture and storage as Sarawak has the potential in terms of storage and its geological structure where Sarawak is outside the ring of fire.
