PUTRAJAYA, May 12 — Malaysia has proposed that the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) be strengthened into a formal convention to enhance national commitments towards the sustainable management, conservation, and development of forest resources.
The proposal was presented during the 20th session of the UNFF, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the United States, from May 5 to 9. The Malaysian delegation was led by Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) secretary-general Datuk Ching Thoo Kim.
In a statement, NRES said Malaysia called for the transformation of the UNFF from a voluntary and non-legally binding instrument into a more formal, convention-based framework.
“This would strengthen the commitment of countries in the sustainable management, conservation, and development of forest resources,” the statement read.
During the session, Malaysia also shared its views and input in line with NRES aspirations, particularly its efforts to maintain forest cover, which currently stands at 54.31 per cent of the country’s total land area.
Malaysia also emphasised the importance of implementing land-use policies such as the National Forestry Policy and the National Policy on Biological Diversity 2022-2030. The country also mentioned the need to support the forestry sector through technology transfer, capacity building, and financial assistance for developing nations.
Malaysia then highlighted the crucial role of forests in addressing climate change and conserving biodiversity, including their function as carbon sinks — an important element to achieve the national net-zero target by 2050. This is in line with Malaysia’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
“These efforts contribute directly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG13 (Climate Action) and SDG15 (Life on Land),” the statement said.
The UNFF serves as a platform for policy development, especially in implementing sustainable forest management, and facilitates continuous dialogue among governments, international organisations, and other forestry stakeholders.
Over 300 delegates from 70 countries, including Malaysia, attended the meeting.
— Bernama
