KUCHING, June 12 —Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today said that the state government is in the process of formulating a biodiversity masterplan to integrate biodiversity and ecosystem into the state’s laws and institutions and to further guide sustainable economic development.
“The draft masterplan is still being deliberated and discussed with relevant stakeholders before it can be endorsed by the state government,” he said at the opening of the Forest Conservation Conference here.
He said Sarawak has one of the oldest rainforests in the world, estimated to be 130 million years old.
“With age, comes richness and diverse biological resources. Species diversity and richness have created diverse biochemicals that could be beneficial to mankind,” he said.
Abang Johari said many of the local native communities have been living intimately with the biodiversity and learned to use plants for various reasons; be it for food, medicines, health and shelter.
However, he said the management of tropical forests is increasingly complex due to the multitude of intersecting and unprecedented changes in the environment caused by human activities.
“As a result, sustainable management of these forests is crucial to conserve their resources and maintain their ecosystem services,” he said.
He said effective studies and policies are necessary to achieve the dual objectives of conservation and human use of forest resources in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said the government, through the Forest Department, is committed to sustainable management of forest resources with best management practices.
He said sustainable forest management (SFM) plays an important role in balancing economic, social, and environmental well-being.
He said it is critical for improving local livelihoods, employment, the environment, and the economy in general by increasing forest productivity and ecosystem services while minimising the adverse effects of climate change.
He said under the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), the forestry sector aims to be globally recognised in the sustainable management of tropical forests and biodiversity conservation while enhancing the rapid growth of the timber industry.
He said the forest management practices and stewardship will focus on balancing forest development, enhancing services obtained from forests, and the need for conservation of biodiversity.
“The initiative includes restoring 200,000 hectares of degraded forest areas, certification of three million hectares of long-term forest timber license area (natural forest) and 230,000 hectares forest plantation by 2025 under the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme or any other recognized global certification standard such as Forest Stewardship Council,” he said.
The premier said the state is also planning to accelerate the use of greener hydrogen energy sources, with the goal of becoming the first hydrogen-driven economy in South-east Asia.
“We are poised and committed to begin large-scale commercial production of green hydrogen by 2027.
“The state government is very serious in advocating for a green economy and mitigating climate change,” he stressed.
