Malaysian plantations minister, Johari Abdul Ghani, to assume responsibility for the environment portfolio
Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry Advances Climate Agenda Under New Leadership
Following the resignation of Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) has continued to progress a strong climate and environmental agenda under the leadership of Johari Abdul Ghani, the new Minister for Plantations and Commodities.
Johari has taken over the duties and functions of the NRES, effective immediately. He has also suggested that Malaysia could use palm oil waste as a renewable energy source to replace coal, a move that could help reduce carbon emissions.
The ministry is drafting Malaysia's National Climate Change Bill, which aims to promote carbon emission reduction incentives, carbon pricing mechanisms, and market-based systems such as emission trading schemes. The bill is part of the government's efforts to support Malaysia's net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050.
The ministry is also preparing the country's first National Adaptation Plan, targeted for completion next year. This plan will focus on critical sectors like agriculture, forestry, and public health, and will strengthen the management of climate change and the environment with enforcement of climate legislation.
In addition, the ministry is focusing on enhancing biodiversity conservation through human-wildlife conflict management, forest preservation, and nature-based restoration efforts such as mangrove and coral rehabilitation. The ministry is also reinforcing circular economy approaches by improving waste management policies, regulations, and infrastructure development, and drafting legislation to regulate activities across production and disposal value chains.
The ministry is also working on strategic readiness for international climate cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, with NRES playing a central role in governance and policy coordination. The ministry's efforts include developing a Climate Change Act that supports transparency, accountability, and market confidence in carbon pricing and emissions reporting systems.
Meanwhile, efforts to implement a carbon tax in 2026 for Malaysia's hard-to-abate industries, including energy, steel, and cement, are being overseen by the finance ministry, also led by Anwar.
In summary, the ministry under Johari Abdul Ghani is progressing with legislations and policies that enforce climate commitments, promote emissions reduction through incentives and market mechanisms, and integrate sustainability across economic sectors to ensure long-term environmental resilience.
Sources:
- Malaysia's 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP)
- Malaysia's National Climate Change Policy
- Malaysia's National Climate Change Policy 2050
- Malaysia's Carbon Market Policy
- Johari Abdul Ghani, the new Minister for Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES), is driving a strong energy transition agenda by considering palm oil waste as a potential renewable energy source to combat carbon emissions.
- The NRES is drafting the National Climate Change Bill, hoping to institute carbon reduction incentives, carbon pricing mechanisms, and emission trading schemes as part of the government's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and a net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050.
- Johari's ministry is also developing Malaysia's first National Adaptation Plan, with a focus on vital sectors like agriculture, forestry, and public health to ensure effective climate change and environmental management under climate legislation.
- The NRES is emphasizing biodiversity conservation through various initiatives, such as human-wildlife conflict management, forest preservation, and nature-based restoration projects like mangrove and coral rehabilitation.
- The ministry is additionally promoting circular economy approaches by improving waste management policies, regulations, and infrastructure development, and drafting legislation to regulate activities across production and disposal value chains for sustainability.
- As Malaysia prepares for international climate cooperation, the NRES is working on strategic readiness for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and planning to enact a Climate Change Act that supports transparency, accountability, and market confidence in carbon pricing and emissions reporting systems.
