Sabah's Chief Minister Hajiji Noor has announced that the state will enforce high regulatory standards for its carbon market, aiming to prevent unvetted projects and speculative trading. The upcoming Sabah Climate Change and Carbon Governance Enactment 2025 will legally recognize state ownership of carbon rights and establish clear operating rules for project approvals and credit trading. The framework includes a new Climate Change Action Council and a Climate Registry and Inventory Centre to coordinate oversight. The state is also pushing for innovative financing from banks and investors to cover high upfront costs of carbon projects. A flagship example is the Kuamut Rainforest Conservation Project, covering over 83,000 hectares and projected to reduce emissions by more than 800,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually. Sabah plans to diversify into blue economy, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and carbon capture, while emphasizing transparency and community inclusion to maintain buyer confidence.
