KOTA KINABALU: Sarawak has called for stronger regional climate cooperation and greater state-level participation in global climate frameworks during the World Green and Sustainability Summit (WGSS) 2026 in Sabah.
Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni represented Sarawak as a speaker at the Special Ministerial and Ambassador Roundtable Plenary Session on Monday (May 25).
The session, titled Climate and Energy Diplomacy and International Collaboration, gathered ministers, ambassadors and sustainability leaders to discuss climate action amid growing geopolitical and economic challenges.
Hazland said Sarawak remained committed to climate action and was ready to build partnerships to turn climate ambitions into measurable outcomes.
“Frameworks such as the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement remain important in guiding global climate action, but there should also be more direct channels for states like Sarawak to participate in international discussions and access climate financing,” he said, adding that ASEAN climate initiatives such as REDD+ and the ASEAN Power Grid as key platforms for regional cooperation.
On climate diplomacy, Hazland said middle-power nations in the Asia-Pacific region could play a stronger role in driving renewable energy partnerships and climate technology collaboration.
“Sarawak was leveraging its policy autonomy to pilot energy transition projects and attract global partnerships, particularly in renewable energy and hydrogen development,” he said.
Among the initiatives highlighted were the Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Forum 2025, the upcoming Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen Conference and Exhibition 2026, and the Sarawak Energy Transition Policy (SET-P).
Hazland added that Sarawak’s transition approach focused on implementation and economic opportunities, citing the Bintulu Transitional Industrial Cluster (TIC) as an example of balancing decarbonisation with industrial growth.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor, in his keynote address, said Sabah was pursuing growth through renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism and biodiversity-based industries under its “conservation with value” approach.
