KUCHING: Coherence between federal and state institutions is vital in governing climate change, particularly given Sabah and Sarawak’s central role as Malaysia’s key environmental assets, said Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the term subnational reflects the unique position of Sabah and Sarawak, which possess vast biodiversity and natural resources that significantly influence climate regulation. The assets located in both states — especially forests, land use areas and conservation zones — play a crucial role in moderating heat, shaping weather patterns and maintaining overall climate stability.
“That is why Sabah and Sarawak are central assets to Malaysia. We have significant and important resources, particularly our forests and conservation areas,” he told reporters after launching the Subnational Climate Change Institutional Assessment Report (CCIA) here today (March 3).
Abang Johari stressed that the management of these assets must be undertaken in collaboration with international bodies and guided by both international and national laws. At the same time, he emphasised the need for close cooperation with the federal government in addressing climate-related matters.
“Our objective is not fragmentation. Our objective is coherence — where innovation at the state level strengthens Malaysia’s overall climate architecture,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, he underscored that Sabah and Sarawak’s forests are not only biodiversity treasures but also climate assets of global significance, and that they fall squarely within state jurisdiction.
He said this is why institutional arrangements matter. Decisions on land use, conservation, enforcement and revenue carry long-term fiscal and environmental consequences. Historically, he noted, states have relied on natural resource revenues to fund development.
“The challenge before us is how to balance fiscal sustainability with environmental stewardship,” he said.
Abang Johari added that institutional reform must address how responsibilities, incentives and financing mechanisms are aligned. Climate finance, carbon markets, ecological fiscal transfers and sustainable revenue models, he said, must support states that protect nature.
Otherwise, he cautioned, conservation risks becoming a financial burden rather than an opportunity.
“Sarawak believes that environmental protection must generate value — not only cost — and that this value must be underpinned by clear, credible and well-coordinated institutions,” he said.
