IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i2p1385-d1032282.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Malaysia’s Forest Pledges and The Bornean State of Sarawak: A Policy Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Jane Koh

    (Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

  • Shazali Johari

    (Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

  • Ahmad Shuib

    (School of Business and Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

  • May Ling Siow

    (Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

  • Nitanan Koshy Matthew

    (Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

Abstract

Malaysia deforested 6.3 million hectares since independence; 91% of which occurred before Malaysia pledged, at the Earth Summit in 1992, to maintain a minimum 50% of its terrestrial area under forest cover. However, under economic and population pressure, Sarawak—the largest contributing state to the country’s current forest cover of 54.8%—shows continuing deforestation even after 1992. This paper reviews land use policies underpinned by economic development and environmental protection considerations, land rights issues that complicate land use planning, and legislation that regulates land use change. The objective is to investigate the adequacy of existing policies and legislation in governing forest cover in Sarawak and to recommend improvement measures. If the Sarawak Land Use Policy that allocates seven million hectares for forest is realized, Malaysia’s forest cover would drop to 53%, assuming other states maintain their forests. It is recommended that legislation governing the designation of permanent forest and conversion of forest for other land use to be strengthened, civil society to be enlisted to enhance knowledge level, and carbon credit production to be promoted as alternative land use that keeps forests standing. With these measures, it is hopeful that Malaysia’s aspirations regarding forest cover can be achieved.

Suggested Citation

  • Jane Koh & Shazali Johari & Ahmad Shuib & May Ling Siow & Nitanan Koshy Matthew, 2023. "Malaysia’s Forest Pledges and The Bornean State of Sarawak: A Policy Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-23, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:1385-:d:1032282
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/2/1385/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/2/1385/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Metodi Sotirov & Benno Pokorny & Daniela Kleinschmit & Peter Kanowski, 2020. "International Forest Governance and Policy: Institutional Architecture and Pathways of Influence in Global Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-25, August.
    2. R. A. Cramb, 2011. "Re-Inventing Dualism: Policy Narratives and Modes of Oil Palm Expansion in Sarawak, Malaysia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 274-293.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. So, Hau Wing & Lafortezza, Raffaele, 2022. "Reviewing the impacts of eco-labelling of forest products on different dimensions of sustainability in Europe," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    2. Huijie Li & Ru Jia & Ortwin Renn & Tianjiao Xu, 2022. "Managing Risks Arising from Conservation Complexities of Forests: Insights from China’s “Chief Scheme” Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Montefrio, Marvin Joseph F. & Dressler, Wolfram H., 2016. "The Green Economy and Constructions of the “Idle” and “Unproductive” Uplands in the Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 114-126.
    4. Takeshima, Hiroyuki & Houssou, Nazaire & Diao, Xinshen, 2018. "Effects of tractor ownership on returns-to-scale in agriculture: Evidence from maize in Ghana," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 33-49.
    5. Takeshima, Hiroyuki, 2015. "Drivers of growth in agricultural returns to scale: The hiring in of tractor services in the Terai of Nepal:," IFPRI discussion papers 1476, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Takeshima, Hiroyuki, 2017. "The roles of agroclimatic similarity and returns on scale in the demand for mechanization: Insights from northern Nigeria," IFPRI discussion papers 1692, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    7. Cramb, R.A., 2013. "Palmed Off: Incentive Problems with Joint-Venture Schemes for Oil Palm Development on Customary Land," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 84-99.
    8. Dieguez, Laura & Sotirov, Metodi, 2021. "FSC sustainability certification as green-lane for legality verification under the EUTR? Changes and policy learning at the interplay of private governance and public policy," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    9. Horn, Christine & Gifford, Sandra M. & Ting, Christina Y.P., 2021. "Informal, essential and embedded: Transport strategies in remote Sarawak," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    10. Padfield, Rory & Varkkey, Helena & Manzo, Kate & Ganesan, Vignaa, 2023. "Time bomb or gold mine? Policy, sustainability and media representations of tropical peatlands in Malaysia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    11. Sen, Kunal & Tyce, Matthew, 2019. "The elusive quest for high income status—Malaysia and Thailand in the post-crisis years," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 117-135.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:1385-:d:1032282. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.