By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Dec 10: The Sarawak government is looking into introducing Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) as a new revenue stream from forest resources such as carbon offset projects that will benefit the rural communities while protecting the ecosystems and restoring forests in the State.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the PES is a new approach to secure the benefits of people or local communities that can be obtained from nature, such as clean water from forests.
“Arranging payments for the benefits provided by forests, fertile soil, watershed protection, and other natural ecosystems is a way to recognise their value and ensure that these benefits continue well into the future.
“With revenue from the natural resource management dwindling, various PES schemes have emerged as potential sources of sustainable financing for conservation,” he said when opening the International Conference on Forest Resources Management 2021 at a hotel in Bintulu today.
Abang Johari emphasised that Sarawak has always prioritised sustainable development and is committed to striking a balance between the need for development, securing the people’s well-being, and safeguarding the forest resources.
The emphasis on environmental sustainability, he noted, would pave the way for more investments to flow into Sarawak, which will co-create solutions, more green jobs, and business opportunities to sustain the economy.
“The State has reduced its dependence on fossil fuel generation and moved towards a low carbon economy through renewable energy power development as a catalyst to drive Sarawak’s next wave of economic growth.
“Initiatives and projects will be carried out based on sound environmental governance practices and policies to ensure sustainable economic growth,” he added.
Abang Johari stressed that Sarawak must keep more forest landscapes intact, manage them more sustainably and restore more of those landscapes which have been lost considering that forests are one of the most important solutions to addressing the effects of climate change.
“The Sarawak government fully embraces the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which calls for all parties such as the public, private, and civil society to contribute to the global sustainability agenda,” he said.
The hybrid Conference, themed ‘Integrating Knowledge For Improvement’, saw the attendance of 150 participants and 22 presenters from countries like Malaysia, the United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Singapore, the Philippines, France, Italy, Canada, Indonesia, Peru, Brunei and Australia.
Minister of Utility Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Itom, Minister in the Chief Minister Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip, State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, Deputy State Secretary (Socio-Economic Transformation) Dato Sri Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Forests director Datu Hamden Mohammad and University Putra Malaysia (UPM) vice chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Roslan Sulaiman were among those present. — DayakDaily
