THE PASSING of the Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2022 will pave the way for Sarawak in becoming the first state in the country to have a legal basis to ensure industry players comply in meeting international requirements in reducing carbon emissions as stipulated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
In support of the proposed amendment, Shafiee Ahmad (GPS-Daro) said this will ensure the collection of carbon or any form of greenhouse gas to be compressed and stored underground or in sites approved by the State Planning Authority (SPA) both on land and offshore in Sarawak within the Continental Shelf within the state’s boundaries.
“Once approved by the SPA, a licence will be issued for the land to be used as a carbon storage site, which must comply with international standards and protocols.
“It is well known that as the largest state in Malaysia, Sarawak has the largest carbon storage capacity and should not be neglected especially for such purposes to generate Sarawak’s economy,” he said at the debate time today.
Recognising the fact that the state government is always committed to generating a new economy for the development of Sarawak, he said the proposed amendment is bound to open up space and opportunities in attracting foreign investors to the state.
“Apart from that, it will also provide new job opportunities in the carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) industry, besides generating significant revenue through carbon licensing and commercialization,” he said.
He added that the effort is also in line with the concept of the Circular Carbon Economy which will reduce carbon emissions and expand the use of those carbon emissions for other purposes that simultaneously generate the economy.
“Not just the economy, but the Green Economy which will definitely benefit Sarawak,” he pointed out.
