Moving forward on climate change: Malaysia’s commitment to a just and accelerated transition towards a sustainable future

Malaysia has firmly set itself on the path of climate action. We are determined to act, regardless of what is happening in the world, because that is the right thing to do for the future of our people and country.

Despite contributing only 0.8% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Malaysia is not resting on its laurels. As a developing Southeast Asian economy, we are uniquely positioned to continuously recalibrate our economic trajectory and activities to make significant progress on climate change and set an example for both regional and global counterparts, while also learning from the best practices from around the world.

We have made great strides in recent years, from policymaking to implementation through collaborations with various partners, at both domestic and international levels. This has only spurred us to be more proactive in addressing our climate and green transition agenda, including by setting an ambitious GHG emissions reduction target and safeguarding Malaysia against the impacts of climate change.

As the tip of the spear in Malaysia's fight against climate change, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) which I lead has recalibrated our government's targets. Malaysia has decided to strive for net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 — an ambitious leap that reflects our determination to act now. Moving beyond the incremental, we are catalysing the rapid transformation that is required in line with global shifts.

In terms of policy and economic support, Malaysia aims to reach 31% renewable energy capacity by 2025 and 40% by 2035. As part of our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, Malaysia reaffirms its goal to reduce economy-wide carbon intensity by 45% by 2030. Malaysia is also in the process to set another ambitious NDC target in 2025.

The government has introduced the Madani Economy framework, National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and the National Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) to take a whole of government approach towards sustainability. NRES is moving forward with our Climate Change Bill and National Adaptation Plan (MyNAP) to support the efforts.

On the regional front, Malaysia is actively supporting the establishment of an interconnected ASEAN energy grid, which will facilitate a sustainable energy network across Southeast Asia. This integration will not only strengthen regional energy security but also strengthen ASEAN's linkages in the global push for sustainable energy generation and consumption. Alongside this, Malaysia is leading the way in advancing carbon credits through the ASEAN Carbon Market Framework and addressing the pressing challenges of transboundary haze occurrences.

It goes without saying that this transition cannot solely rest on the shoulders of developing nations like Malaysia. The developed world cannot continue to move the goalpost in paying the climate debt. It must play its part by providing the financial support, technology transfer, and capacity-building needed to ensure a just and equitable transition for all. The burden of industrialisation weighs heavily on developed nations, and it is their responsibility to pave the way for their developing counterparts, ensuring that emerging economies are empowered to progress on this shift for sustainability without being left behind.

Malaysia has been continuously engaging with global climate change collaborators, such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), to strengthen our climate resilience efforts and align our national initiatives with global climate action frameworks. We are also working to incubate our future generations with a sustainable-first mindset. The National Adaptation Plan will outline strategies and measures to help the country adapt to the impacts of climate change. Malaysia received approval from the Green Climate Fund on 22 August 2024 to develop the NAP. In the first year, we will focus on developing the National, Sub-National, and Sectoral Adaptation Plans by organising stakeholder consultations at the national, state, and sectoral levels.

While we are grateful for the support we have received—more is needed. We would do more and be more ambitious if we had the resources to do so. Developing countries can do more to advance as well as protect their interests by being generous with climate finance rather than hawking weapons of war and destruction or imposing misguided policies against certain commodities that are really thinly-disguised trojan horses for protectionism and at the same time pursuing "waste colonialism" against the rest of the world.

With international attention on COP29, Malaysia is determined to showcase its commitment to sustainability. This is something we will also pursue as ASEAN Chair in 2025. By positioning itself as a prime investment hub for green projects, Malaysia is seizing this moment to create highly-skilled green job opportunities that will support a sustainable future for our beloved nation.

Looking ahead, NRES in collaboration with the Malaysian Government and various local stakeholders remain committed to moving forward our climate agenda. We are seeking to not only respond to climate change, but position Malaysia as a sustainability powerhouse, confident that it is a bridge to a more prosperous and equitable future for all.