KUCHING, Nov 9 — Sarawak collected 218.779 metric tonnes of e-waste last year, the second highest record in the country, said Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.

The premier said the e-waste was collected from campaigns organised by the state government, Department of Environment (DoE), local authorities, and the private sector.

He said the state is a regional leader in green economy initiatives and remains committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Abang Johari pointed out Sarawak has received recognition and invitations from European governments, Singapore, and Japan to share insights about decarbonisation strategies, energy transition, and green economy development initiatives.

"The imperative to address environmental sustainability is no longer a matter of debate, it’s a global necessity for self-reliance and well-being,” he said in a speech read by Deputy Premier Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian for the state-level National Environment Day celebration at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here today.

Abang Johari said many countries are now evaluating their energy policies and investing in green technologies to better address global climate change.

"Together with the state leadership, we have initiated various initiatives by capitalising on global mega-trends in the era of globalisation, digitalisation, the fourth industrial revolution, circular economy, and green economy,” he said.

Among the initiatives are the development of hydrogen as an emission-free fuel, the promotion of renewable and green energy, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), carbon trading, and Waste to Energy (WTE) projects such as microalgae to produce sustainable aviation fuel.

"These efforts also serve as incentives to attract more investments to Sarawak and are integral to our revenue re-engineering strategy aimed at increasing the state’s income,” he said.

Abang Johari stressed mitigating environmental impact was of utmost importance to the government and any economic activities and development programmes must be balanced with environmental factors.

He added cooperation between related agencies, such as the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) and DoE, should be strengthened to preserve the environment.

The private sector and industries have a role to play to enhance awareness of environmental protection and conservation through corporate social responsibilities programmes, he said.

Among those present were Deputy Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh; Deputy Energy and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Hazland Abang Hipni; Deputy Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Michael Tiang; and Sarawak Environmental Quality controller Jack Liam. — Borneo Post