By DayakDaily Team
YOKOHAMA, Dec 2: Sarawak today took centre stage at the 60th session of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) in Yokohama, Japan, showcasing its bold ambition to become a global leader in sustainability and green innovation.
Sarawak’s Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment, Datuk Len Talif Salleh, represented the Deputy Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, to deliver a keynote address entitled ‘Sarawak Beyond Timber: Exploring New Pathways Towards Carbon Neutral’.
According to a press release, this is one of the five keynotes in ITTC60. Other speakers were the State Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Japan; Mayor of Yohokama City; Vice-Minister of the Environment, Costa Rica; and Ambassador of Peru to Japan.
In the address, Len Talif underscored Sarawak’s evolution from a timber-centric economy to a leader in sustainable development in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainability, and diversify its economy.
The initiatives reflect Sarawak’s steadfast commitment to cultivating a green economy, positioning Sarawak to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
These key initiatives include sustainable forestry and conservation, carbon trading and offset, carbon capture and storage, renewable energy development, hydrogen economy, circular economy, and waste management.
In closing, Len Talif called on International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) member countries and international bodies to collaborate with Sarawak, emphasising the importance of partnerships in research, conservation, and sustainable development.
“Sarawak may be a small dot on the world map, but our impact can be monumental.
“We are particularly eager to form partnerships in research and development initiatives that leverage innovative approaches to forest management, landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation and above all, community well-being,” he asserted. — DayakDaily
