By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 4: Sarawak Energy’s climate and biodiversity efforts reached a new milestone today with the official handover of the Dataran Seping Carbon Study Permit (CSP) from the Forest Department Sarawak and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), bringing global conservation expertise to Sarawak.
Both initiatives, unveiled at the Sustainability & Renewable Energy Forum (SAREF 4.0), strengthen Sarawak Energy’s nature-based solutions projects and its pathway towards net zero.
Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer, Datuk Sharbini Suhaili, described the dual milestones as pivotal to the utility’s sustainability journey.
“Today marks an important milestone for Sarawak Energy as we strengthen our commitment to sustainability and climate action on two fronts,” he said.
“The Carbon Study Permit enables us to advance our Nature-based Solutions (NbS) projects, reducing transition risks, safeguarding hydropower catchments, conserving biodiversity, and delivering long-term value to local communities. At the same time, the MoU with IUCN brings global conservation expertise to Sarawak.
“Together, these initiatives strengthen our net zero ambitions and illustrate how strong collaboration between government, industry and international partners can generate lasting benefits for both people and the planet,” he said in a media release.
The CSP was presented by Forests director Datu Hamden Mohammad, to Sarawak Energy’s Board Sustainability chairman Dato Sri JC Fong, while the MoU with IUCN was exchanged between Global director for Water and Wetlands at IUCN James Dalton, and Sarawak Energy’s senior vice president for Health, Safety, Security & Environment Marconi Madai.
Both ceremonies were witnessed by Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh.
Earlier, Len Talif delivered a keynote address during the Advancing Circular Economy in ASEAN’s Energy Sector: Maximising Sustainability and Resource Efficiency Plenary Session where he urged the public to embrace the principles of circular economy.
“I call on everyone here, policy makers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers and community champions, to take three steps: Commit; put circular economy principles into your energy projects and policies. Collaborate; share ideas, share technology and build projects together, across borders. Champion; be the example that inspires others to act.” he said.
He added: “The circular economy is not just about machines and technology. It is about how we think and act. It is about seeing waste as the start of something new. Our Premier of Sarawak says it best: ‘Don’t waste the waste.’ If we live by this message, Sarawak and ASEAN can lead the world in sustainable energy.”
The Carbon Study Permit grants Sarawak Energy the legal approval to commence feasibility studies for its NbS projects within hydropower catchments. These projects are projected to generate more than 250,000 carbon credit units, which will offset emissions from hard-to-abate generation sectors and support the company’s 1.5°C Business Ambition and Net Zero Action Plan. The initiative, guided by the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS), leverages NbS to strengthen water resource resilience, biodiversity protection, and long-term community benefits.
Meanwhile, the five-year MoU with IUCN establishes a strategic collaboration to embed global best practices in biodiversity management, including forest restoration, species conservation, and adaptive management.
The partnership will also see Sarawak Energy adopt IUCN’s internationally recognised tools and frameworks such as the Red List of Species, STAR (Species Threat Abatement and Restoration), ROAM (Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology), and the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-Based Solutions.
By integrating these approaches, the MoU is set to accelerate Sarawak Energy’s environmental sustainability and biodiversity stewardship, embedding measurable nature-positive outcomes across its projects while enhancing Sarawak’s role as a leader in sustainable hydropower development.
SAREF 4.0 once again served as a platform for collaboration and innovation in the energy transition, drawing participation from regional and international stakeholders. — DayakDaily
