By. Zhang Jiarui
The 5th meeting of the National Climate Change Action Council (MTPIN). (Photo/Nik Nazmi)
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian government, in its Twelfth Malaysia Plan (2021 - 2025) Report, announced that it will give high priority to environmental protection and sustainable development, and is committed to achieving zero pollution emissions by 2050, with carbon neutrality as one of the country's strategic priorities.
It is an ambitious blueprint for a better future, in response to the United Nations' urgent call for the goal of carbon neutrality to be achieved.
Presentation of Targets and Promotion by Leaders
Back in 2021, former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaacob announced that Malaysia would achieve carbon neutrality ‘as early as 2050’ while banning and resisting the construction of new coal-fired power plants .
During the same period, Ismail stated that renewable energy from sources such as biomass and biogas would be used aggressively to generate electricity, with the goal of increasing to 31 per cent of the country's total power generation by 2025. Setting the target expects renewable energy to be able to account for 20 per cent of total power generation by 2025, and actively introducing policies to support the development of renewable energy.
"The important role of renewable energy can never be ignored in today's world, and it is key to the transition to a cleaner and more efficient energy system," Francesco La Camera, the Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), said.
Specific policy initiatives and implementation progress
By 15 June 2024, in order to achieve greener patterns of energy production, distribution and consumption, and the transition of all sectors to a low-carbon economy, the Government has adopted policies to accelerate the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP), the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), the Hydrogen Energy Technology and Economy Roadmap (HETR), and new policies such as the National Climate Change Act .
This parliament is concerned with reducing energy consumption in the commercial and industrial sectors and promoting the adoption of energy-saving technologies and equipment in various industries to improve energy efficiency. For example, enterprises are encouraged to carry out technological transformation and process optimisation to reduce energy wastage. It will also strengthen energy management in the construction sector, promote green building standards, and require new buildings to take full account of energy efficiency in the design and construction process, so as to reduce energy consumption as far as possible.
As of 2024, renewable energy has a clear target position in the country's energy sources, which has not yet yielded significant results, but has now laid a solid foundation for reducing dependence on traditional fossil energy sources. The country's call to global energy companies and increased support for investment and research and development in renewable energy has fuelled innovation and application of relevant technologies.
The government has stepped up its efforts to protect forests, strictly limiting illegal logging and forest destruction. Through forest restoration and afforestation projects, it has increased the forest area and carbon sink capacity. In addition, the Government has actively promoted sustainable forest management and the rational use of forest resources, so as to achieve a positive interaction between ecological protection and economic development.
In the area of transport, it promotes green modes of travel and increases investment in and improvement of public transport. The popularity of electric vehicles has gradually increased and the relevant infrastructure has been improved. Residents are encouraged to use low-carbon modes of travel such as walking and cycling, and to reduce the use of private cars. These initiatives have effectively reduced carbon emissions from the transport sector and improved urban air quality.
Meanwhile, in order to attract more investment and promote the implementation of renewable energy projects, the government is friendly to foreign investment in the new energy industry and has flexible policies. Many projects allow 100% foreign ownership and provide support such as tax incentives and investment subsidies. By pricing carbon emissions, carbon emissions become a cost, prompting companies to actively take measures to reduce emissions and promote the research, development and application of low-carbon technologies.
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