Sarawak’s peatlands play vital role in meeting Malaysia’s climate commitments, says expert

Lulie gives her speech during the gala dinner. — Photo by Roystein Emmor

KOTA SAMARAHAN (Sept 21): Sarawak and its peatlands play a uniquely important role in meeting Malaysia’s climate commitments to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, said Dr Lulie Melling.

The Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (Tropi) director said Malaysia had agreed to a 45 per cent reduction in gross domestic product (GDP) based greenhouse gas emissions intensity compared to 2005 levels by 2030 during last year’s UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) COP-26 (26th United Nations Climate Change Conference) in Glasgow.

“Sarawak’s peatlands play a major role due to their large carbon pools, many of which have been disrupted due to land use change, weather, and climate extremes. The state thus plays a uniquely important role in meeting the nation’s climate commitments and ambitions.

“We must thus carry out our joint challenge, as scientists, as policymakers, and industry stakeholders, to work together, combining the vast resources and talents that the state of Sarawak has to offer, to reduce, mitigate, and even halt climate change,” she said in her speech during the AsiaFlux 2022 Gala Dinner at the Tropi headquarters here last night.

She also pointed out that Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia to have three flux towers that have been operational for more than 10 years, strategically located in Sibu and Betong divisions.

She said the Eddy covariance towers, particularly those situated within tropical forest sites, are often located in isolated and hostile environments, strategically positioned to monitor how ecosystems adapt to environmental change.

“Sarawak is proud to be a part of this network, with Tropi having pioneered and commissioned three such towers with the full support of the Sarawak state government and in collaboration with both Hokkaido University and the National Institute of Environment Japan (NIES).

“These flux towers are strategically located at Naman Oil Palm Plantation in Sibu, Cermat Ceria Plantation in Betong, and Maludam National Park in Betong,” she said.

Lulie, also the gala dinner’s organising chairperson, said AsiaFlux, established in 1999 as the Asian arm of FLUXNET, serves as a platform for collaborative research among earth system scientists.

She said FLUXNET scientists have made breakthrough contributions to the quantification of the global carbon balance and developed a better understanding of the functions of Asian terrestrial ecosystems.

“AsiaFlux has developed into a regional research network, with participation across 28 member countries over the past 20 years, and over 100 Eddy flux towers covering a diverse array of terrestrial ecosystems have been built in Asia,” she said.

Lulie also thanked Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and former plantation industries and commodities minister Tan Sri Peter Chin for their assistance in the establishment of Tropi and the continual funding for flux studies based on the three towers.

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