SHAH ALAM, August 7 — The state government has set a target of maintaining at least 31 per cent of its land as gazetted permanent forest reserves by 2030, while reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 35 per cent by 2035 under the Second Selangor Plan (RS-2).
Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari said the targets reflect their commitment to strengthening environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
"The main target is for Selangor to reduce GHG emissions by 35 per cent by 2035 compared with the 2005 baseline, and maintain gazetted permanent forest reserves at no less than 31 percent of the state's land by 2030,” he said when tabling RS-2 during the Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting today.
The climate agenda falls under RS-2’s “Mission Five: A Sustainable, Resilient and Strategic State”.
“This is not merely a moral obligation, but a strategic necessity in a world that increasingly demands higher environmental standards,” he said.
Citing studies conducted by the Swiss Re Institute and the World Economic Forum (WEF), Amirudin noted that the global economy is projected to lose 18 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2050 due to climate change, underscoring the need for Selangor to strengthen its resilience.
To strengthen flood resilience, the state government will implement comprehensive infrastructure projects and the Selangor Flood Mitigation Plan (SelFMiP), while introducing an Integrated Climate Data Management System to improve early warning accuracy and disaster response.
"We recognise that flooding remains a challenge that deeply affects the people. Every flood episode is a family tragedy that should not happen if we plan and invest properly," he said.
Selangor is also developing two waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in Tanjung Dua Belas and Rawang capable of processing 2,400 tonnes of waste daily and generating 58MW of electricity, while expanding the Selangor Agenda for Green Economy (SAGE) and strengthening recycling initiatives through SELKitar.
"To safeguard long-term resource security, the state will continue implementing major water infrastructure projects, conserve forests through the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Management Plan and the Selangor Royal Heritage Forest, and position itself as a strategic player in Malaysia's voluntary carbon market through the Selangor Carbon Initiative," Amirudin said.
