UNFF19: Malaysia reiterates commitment to maintain 50% of forest cover

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia remains committed to maintaining 50% of its land under forest and tree cover, in line with the pledge made during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil back in 1992.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said he emphasised this position during a roundtable session at the High-Level Segment (HLS) of the 19th United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF19) held from May 6 to 10 in New York, United States.

“To date, Malaysia has 54.58% or 18.05 million hectares of forest cover,” he said in a statement here today.

Nik Nazmi also highlighted the importance of international financial assistance involving global institutions such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to UNFF member countries through technology transfer and capacity building, particularly for developing countries, to help implement sustainable forest management initiatives.

“I also propose that UNFF be empowered from a voluntary and non-legally binding instrument to a more formal framework resembling a convention that can reinforce a country’s commitment to the sustainable management, conservation and development of forest resources,” he said.

The Malaysian delegation to the UNFF, led by Nik Nazmi, comprised senior officials from the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry and related departments and agencies, including those from Sabah and Sarawak.

Elaborating, he said Malaysia, in accordance with commitments made through Multilateral Environmental Agreements, would continue to play a vital role in ensuring the preservation and conservation of natural resources for future generations.

At the conclusion of the UNFF19 session, the HLS Declaration and Omnibus Resolution documents were adopted, he added.

Meanwhile, in his keynote address at a side event organised by Malaysia during UNFF19, which saw participation from over 70 delegations from various countries, Nik Nazmi expressed Malaysia’s determination to ensure the forestry sector plays a significant role in contributing to tradable carbon projects and generating new income for the country.

During the UNFF programme, he also held a bilateral meeting with Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry, Alue Dohong, to discuss the best steps to enhance sustainable forest management and cross-border collaboration.

In addition, he conducted a working visit to the American Museum of Natural History to witness firsthand the capabilities of scientific resources and knowledge that could be utilised in developing the proposed Natural History Museum under the National Policy on Biological Diversity 2022-2030.