By Ling Hui and Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 15: Sarawak is currently developing a Climate Change Policy that will provide a comprehensive framework for addressing carbon emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said this policy will guide all communities in Sarawak towards a more sustainable and resilient future, acknowledging that urban living and economic activities are the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
“Therefore, we are developing low carbon blueprints for cities and towns in Sarawak.
“These blueprints will help us address local environmental challenges such as waste management, floods, and air pollution while promoting a low-carbon lifestyle,” he said when delivering his keynote speech at the Asia Carbon Conference (ACC) 2023 at a hotel here today.
Abang Johari emphasised that Sarawak has been aggressively setting targets for the development of renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and hydro in order to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions while at the same time, promoting investment in these technologies, creating opportunities for businesses and creating jobs for local communities.
Furthermore, he added, Sarawak is also investing in forest conservation efforts to protect and restore forests which act as carbon sinks, as well as technology to capture and store carbon emissions from industries such as oil and gas.
“Sarawak has vast potential and opportunities in nature-based solutions, particularly the forestry sector that is expected to generate a revenue from intangible conservation values of forest goods and services of approximately RM900 billion ringgit by 2030.
“This reinforces Sarawak’s aspiration to not only enhance its forests to produce biomass energy and the role of forests as carbon sinks but to promote biodiversity as a natural capital for competitive advantage in the pursuit of green growth,” he said.
As for Sarawak’s immense potential for carbon storage, estimated at 30 trillion cubic metres in the seabed of its continental shelf, Abang Johari disclosed the RM4.5 billion mega carbon capture and storage (CCS) project off Bintulu in the Kasawari gas field by Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) is posed to revolutionise the regional upstream oil and gas industry.
“Our offshore depleted or abandoned petroleum fields are ideal for secured and permanent storage of captured carbon dioxide. This presents a significant opportunity for oil and gas companies to fulfill their obligations to reduce CO2 emissions.
“This would enable us to reduce our carbon emissions and generate revenue from the sale of carbon credits,” he added.
However, Abang Johari noted that the carbon plan for Sarawak is a significant undertaking that requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach to be successful which will require leadership, expertise and resources to ensure the realisation of the plan’s ambitious goals and position Sarawak as a leader in climate change and sustainable economic growth.
With that, he said Sarawak is actively pursuing the development and participation in carbon offset programmes, such as the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) or Gold Standard, with several initiatives at an advanced stage of implementation that would enable companies or countries to offset their carbon emissions by investing in carbon reduction projects, creating a new revenue stream for Sarawak.
“Sarawak is committed to addressing the urgent issue of climate change and will continue to explore and implement innovative strategies to mitigate its impact on the environment, economy, and society,” he asserted. — DayakDaily
