Sarawak Energy is leaving no ground untrekked to protect the environment. Upon launching its 10-Year Tree Planting, Protection, and Habitat Restoration Campaign 2021-2030 in June 2022, the company set a target to plant and protect 500,000 trees by 2030.
Aligning with this aspiration, the company had set to plant and protect 50,000 trees and has managed to grow and preserve a total of 52,897 trees as of December 2022.
The campaign shows the company’s long-term commitment to achieving excellence in sustainable environmental conservation and supports the fight against global warming through nature-based solutions.
Supporting Sarawak’s goal to plant 35 million trees by 2025 under the Greening Malaysia programme and achieve one million hectares of Totally Protected Areas in Sarawak, the campaign aligns with Sarawak’s commitment to COP 26 goals to “Adapt to Protect Communities and Natural Habitats” and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on “Climate Action” and “Life on Land”.
Sarawak Energy is the first company in Malaysia to sign the pledge for “Business Ambition for 1.5°Celsius” under the United Nations Global Compact in July 2020. It is committed to setting a science-based emission reduction target across relevant scopes in line with the Paris Agreement to pursue efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2030. Sarawak Energy also backs the San Jose Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower.
Commitment to sustainability and climate action
In conjunction with the official launching of the campaign, Sarawak Energy also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sarawak Forestry Corporation, formalising a partnership for planting and protecting trees and conducting other biodiversity-related research projects across Sarawak Energy’s assets, facilities and project areas in Sarawak.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg launched the campaign.
He expressed his delight at the initiative between the two agencies as it was beneficial not only in Sarawak and Malaysia but also made a significant contribution to global climate action and protecting the environment for future generations.
“This is an important partnership for the UN Sustainable Development Goals or UN SDGs – we all recognise that no single entity, agency, individual or even government can realise the global ambition for sustainable and universal prosperity without working together,” said Abang Zohari.
Sarawak Energy Chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi thanked the Sarawak government and other key agencies for supporting and implementing excellent environmental initiatives.
Hamed remarked: “Building on previous environmental initiatives, this tree-planting programme reaffirms our commitment to sustainability and climate action as Sarawak’s primary provider of renewable energy as it augments existing initiatives and programmes within the company, ensuring responsible energy development.
“This will contribute to the targeted 50,000 trees we aim to plant and protect at our power plants, projects, totally protected areas, and urban centres through collaborations with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Forest Department Sarawak, Department of Environment, Natural Resources Environment Board and local councils as well as staff volunteerism by the fourth quarter of 2022.”
Among others present were the Minister for Utility and Telecommunication, Datuk Julaihi Narawi; Deputy Ministers for Utility and Telecommunication, Datuk Liwan Lagang (Telecommunication) and Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi (Utility); Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration, and Environment, Dr Hazland Abang Hipni; Sarawak Energy Group CEO Datu Sharbini Suhaili, and Sarawak Forestry Corporation CEO Zolkipli Mohamad Aton.
