BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Brunei is ready to ratify the agreement establishing the ASEAN Climate Change Centre, with an official announcement expected in due course, the Second Minister of Finance and Economy said Wednesday.
Speaking on the seventh day of the Legislative Council, Dato Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah said the centre is currently at the ratification stage among ASEAN member states, including Brunei.
“The process has taken longer as it is subject to the domestic legal procedures of each member state,” the minister explained. “As the host country, Brunei Darussalam must undertake additional steps to ensure all legal prerequisites are met and that it has the capacity to fulfil its commitments.”
The agreement will enter into force once at least six ASEAN member states have signed. The centre will be formally established 60 days after those six signatures are submitted to the ASEAN Secretariat.
Dato Dr Hj Mohd Amin clarified that while Brunei will host the facility, the centre will operate under ASEAN jurisdiction and be owned exclusively by the regional bloc.
Once established, an executive director and several Bruneian officers will be appointed to develop programmes and key performance indicators based on insights from across the region.
National Adaptation Plan to tackle climate risks
Addressing the socio-economic impacts of climate change, the minister highlighted Brunei’s progress since launching the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy in 2020.
Greenhouse gas emissions have dropped to 14.98 million tonnes of CO₂, a significant reduction from the “business-as-usual” projection of 17.13 million tonnes. This decline is credited to lower emissions in industry, land transport, power generation, and waste management, alongside expanded forest cover and increased renewable energy use.
The minister also emphasised the need for a dedicated National Adaptation Plan (NAP), a framework used by countries to identify their medium and long-term vulnerabilities to climate change. While most climate talk focuses on mitigation strategies like cutting emissions, a NAP focuses on adaptation by learning to live with climate changes that are already happening.
He said key priorities include coastal resilience, food security, biodiversity, water resources, and public health. To support this, the government has conducted a National Climate Vulnerability Assessment and established an Adaptation and Resilience Working Group involving the private sector, academia, and NGOs.
Several key projects are already underway to translate these strategies into action.
The Department of Meteorological Services has proposed a comprehensive report on projected rainfall changes and associated climate risks, which will serve as a foundation for future policy development.
Meanwhile, Universiti Brunei Darussalam is leading two critical projects: a pilot study on reforestation and the recovery of native vegetation following the invasion of acacia species, and the development of a biodiversity data system for endangered species.
These projects are expected to provide the data necessary to address forest fires and other recurring environmental threats.