DUBAI, Dec 2 — Malaysia has pledged its support to ensure the effective implementation of the Asean Working Group on Climate Change (AWGCC) Action Plan, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said.

He stressed Malaysia’s commitment as the group’s chair to foster collaboration, drive innovation and support effective implementation of collective climate change action plans within the Asean community, pointing out that there was a need for Asean countries to negotiate issues of common interests as one voice in global forums such as the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

"Malaysia recognises the need for swift and meaningful responses to climate change... and I strongly believe Asean is an institution that has the convening power in advancing the climate negotiations in the UNFCCC.

"Asean’s leadership and convening role is an untapped asset that can be leveraged to negotiate issues of common interest such as Just Transition, Climate Finance, Loss and Damage and Global Goal on Adaptation,” he said during the Asean Leadership in Addressing Climate Change forum at the Malaysia Pavilion on the sidelines of the COP28 here today.

Nik Nazmi noted that developing a long-term mitigation strategy for Asean would be key to inform sectoral and cross-sectoral policy planning in line with the pathway towards the Paris Agreement goals.

"In this regard, Malaysia is formulating a Long-Term Low Emissions Strategy (LT-LEDS) and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Roadmap, which will serve as a comprehensive guideline for our aspirations towards achieving net-zero emissions as early as 2050.

"Among Malaysia’s key priorities is the drafting of a climate change bill, the establishment of a national adaptation fund and the development of a carbon market mechanism,” he said. — Bernama