The Johor State Green Development Master Plan Framework, also known as the Johor Green Deal, was unveiled at the Asia-Pacific Climate Week (APCW) 2023 international conference.
The Permaisuri of Johor, Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah, officiated the Johor Sustainability Centre (Sustainable Johor) and witnessed the launch of the Johor Green Deal.
Johor also saw the signing of 14 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), valued at some RM180 million, to bolster and champion the state’s local and regional sustainability agenda. Menteri Besar of Johor, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, witnessed the MoU exchange between state agencies and diverse stakeholders.
Also present to witness the exchange were the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change of Malaysia, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, and Niclas Svenningsen, Programme Coordinator Manager for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Through Permodalan Darul Ta’zim (PDT), the Johor State Government developed this master plan framework to realise the vision of a low-carbon, sustainable, and resilient environment. It is an extension of the Johor State Sustainability Policy 2017-2021.
Her Majesty said in her officiation speech, “Based on the five primary core areas in which the success of Johor is built upon, the Johor Green Deal will become the primary reference and policy for the green development agenda, as well as guiding Johor in terms of prioritising the range of green growth projects for the state.”
“In ensuring the effective implementation of the Johor Green Deal, JSC will serve as a research avenue for the purpose of advising the state government on green development through collaborations with academic institutions and industry players.”
“It is imperative that JSC works closely with universities, as they have a crucial role to play in dealing with climate change, not only in research, development and innovation but also in fostering awareness of climate change within our society and among the younger generations.”
“Apart from that, JSC will also become the main platform for strategic collaborations between local and international organisations and the state government in putting the green initiatives into action.” Her Highness concluded her speech by adding that the launch of these two agendas will emphasise the state government’s commitment to green development and achieving the primary goals of the Maju Johor 2030 Agenda.
Three main objectives have been outlined through this initiative: Environment, Social and Economy.
To ensure the holistic implementation of green development in Johor, the Johor Green Deal will be implemented on the basis of five main pillars:
Energy: Enhancing energy efficiency across sectors and accelerating the implementation of renewable energy transition
Transportation and Mobility: Improving public infrastructure, greening the transportation and maritime sectors, and enhancing vehicle electrification implementation
Land Use, Environment, and Water: Preserving biodiversity, conserving water resources, controlling flash floods, and improving waste management
Low-Carbon Cities: Managing carbon emissions in urban areas and raising public awareness on greenhouse gas emissions
Industry: Improving a greener environmental performance by using renewable energy sources and concurrently decarbonising Johor’s industries
The Johor State Government hopes that with the outlined planning and directions through the Johor Green Deal framework, it can realise green development efforts in Johor and serve as an example to the world.
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