Kota Kinabalu: The National Climate Change Bill (RUUPIN) is set to translate Malaysia’s Net Zero 2050 ambitions from a voluntary policy goal into a mandatory statutory obligation.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the highly anticipated bill provides the fundamental architecture upon which Malaysia’s National Carbon Policy is built.
“RUUPIN also gives the Government the power to hold both the public and private sectors accountable to the national decarbonisation targets,” he said in a recorded video speech at the World Green and Sustainability Summit 2026.
Present were Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Cambodian Senior Minister Dr Chhem Kieth Rethy and KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific chairman Tan Sri Majid Khan.
Malaysia’s Net Zero 2050 refers to the national aspiration to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, meaning the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere is fully balanced by the amount removed or offset by the year 2050.
Arthur said RUUPIN will empower the Government to implement sophisticated market-based instruments, most notably the domestic Emissions Trading Scheme and carbon pricing mechanisms.
“The legislation is designed to ensure national standards meet international benchmarks by formalising standards for Measurement, Reporting, and Verification. This move will secure the bankability of Malaysian carbon credits on the global stage,” he said.
To further strengthen the nation’s green momentum, he said, the Cabinet had approved the National Carbon Market Policy back on April 1, which serves as a strategic bridge to evolve the country’s carbon landscape into a unified compliance framework.
“Our goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 to 30 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035 by operationalising Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and establishing a National Carbon Registry,” he said.
Arthur, who could not attend the summit physically due to a Cabinet Meeting in Putrajaya, reiterated that the nation is no longer discussing sustainability as an abstract aspiration, but has moved into the phase of delivery and execution.
