Kelantan government’s ‘carbon offsets’ agreement against REDD initiatives — Wan Junaidi

PUTRAJAYA: Astategovernment has been told that the agreement on ‘ carbon- offsets’ is against the initiatives on Reducing Emissions From Deforestation and Degradation ( REDD) and the conditions set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC).

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Malaysia is at final stage of discussion and has submitted the ‘safeguard information system’ report to the UNFCCC secretariat before it could receive aid from the Green Climate Fund.

“The discussion has been going on for several years. As such, it is crucial for the state government to comply with the conditions. I hope that REDD initiatives are not affected by the unethical activities of some unscrupulous individuals,” he said after chairing the Environment Ministers and State Executive Councillors ( MEXCOE) meeting here, yesterday.

Wan Junaidi said he would meet with the Kelantan government and explain that the agreement on ‘carbon- offsets’ would not be counted as a contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions by Malaysia.

In January, Malaysia’s first carbon credit company, Climate Change Protector ( CCP) Sdn Bhd reportedly signed an agreement with the Kelantan state government on REDD initiatives.

Under the agreement, CCP will allocate 396,000 hectares of forest or 25 percent of state land for conservation and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

CCP, which specialises in renewable renewable and sustainable energy, was given a 30year concession by the Kelantan state government. — Bernama