UK to work with Malaysia on taking forward the Glasgow Climate Pact

News Desk: UK will continue to support Malaysia on its climate transition journey and the development of a long-term climate action strategy.

British High Commissioner to Malaysia, HE Charles Hay hosted the Together For Our Planet Dinner in Kuala Lumpur on 29 November 2021 to mark the UK’s hosting of the the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the climate collaboration with Malaysia. He said:

Climate change is at the centre of our diplomatic activities because it is our most pressing global problem. We all need to work together to solve it, and if we don’t we will fall together.

Together for Our Planet is a core theme of the UK’s presidency of COP26. It sums up the UK’s climate partnership with Malaysia.

The guest of honour at the dinner was HRH The Regent of Pahang, Crown Prince Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah. Also present were Dato’ Seri Dr. Zaini bin Ujang, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Environment and Water, as well as guests representing various government agencies, associations, NGOs and the business community.

At COP26, countries including Malaysia have agreed to the Glasgow Climate Pact and will now deliver on their commitments to revisit and strengthen their 2030 emission reduction targets next year, to bring them in line with the Paris Agreement goals.

Hay welcomed the pledges made by the Malaysian delegation at COP26, led by Minister of Environment and Water, YB Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. Malaysia has committed to take bold actions to tackle climate change through the country’s enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and its new commitment on achieving carbon neutrality. Malaysia has also endorsed the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use which champions halting and reversing deforestation, as well the Global Methane Pledge, setting a collective goal to reduce global methane emissions by 30% before 2030.

To respond to a growing momentum for climate action in countries like Malaysia, the UK has doubled its International Climate Finance to £11.6 billion over the 2021-25 period.

At COP26, the UK also announced new support for Malaysia and other Southeast Asia countries. This includes the £110 million ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility, which will support the development of sustainable infrastructure projects such as renewable energy, clean transportation, and urban infrastructure in ASEAN countries, as well as a £274 million fund under the UK Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme, to strengthen climate adaptation across the Indo-Pacific.

In addition, the UK is running a number of bilateral programmes in Malaysia which are contributing in practical ways to building adaptation and resilience, strengthening nature-based solutions, supporting low-carbon city planning, promoting sustainable transport, renewable energy generation, and mobilising green finance.