Forest Dept teams up with Netherlands’ varsity to strengthen forest carbon initiatives in Sarawak
KUCHING: The Forest Department of Sarawak (FDS) has taken another significant step towards bolstering forest carbon initiatives in Sarawak by signing and exchanging a letter of understanding (LOU) with Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences in Velp, the Netherlands, on Monday.
A media statement from the department said this collaboration was formalised during a ‘Forest Carbon Trading Mechanism Training Programme’ hosted by the university.
“This collaborative effort signifies a critical step forward in propelling Sarawak’s forest carbon initiatives and solidifying its commitment to sustainable forest management practices,” said FDS.
It also said this knowledge-exchange would foster the exchange of technical expertise, scientific data, and evidencebased information.
“This will ultimately support the Sarawak government in making informed decisions and establishing policies that ensure the forest carbon activities in Sarawak are well-positioned within the international market and aligned with carbon standards.”
Meanwhile, Sarawak Forest deputy director Semilan Ripot emphasised the importance of this initiative in his keynote address as he linked it to the Sarawak government’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which prioritised forestry as a key economic sector.
He said this collaboration would align with the state’s commitment to forest conservation, afforestation, and reforestation efforts.
According to him, these initiatives contribute to the global efforts in combating climate change, while opening doors to new revenue streams from Sarawak’s forests, including those generated through forest carbon projects.
On a related matter, the FDS said its representatives were invited to participate in a specialised training programme.
Key topics covered included policy and regulatory frameworks for forest carbon trading, project development and implementation strategies, case studies and best practices in the field, and measurement and verification procedures being aligned with international standards and protocols.
The programme also included presentations by FDS officers to international students and stakeholders.
The university’s director of research Dr Gerard Robijn highlighted the programme’s goals, which included enhancing knowledge, fostering networking opportunities with industry experts, and facilitating discussions to establish scientific, academic and educational cooperation.