KUALA LUMPUR: On Wednesday, Malaysia’s Parliament approved a groundbreaking law that will compel the country’s largest energy consumers to implement energy-saving measures. This move is part of Malaysia’s broader commitment to significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Malaysia has made a clear commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent throughout its economy by 2030 and strives to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The newly enacted Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act is expected to make substantial strides in curbing energy usage, potentially saving up to 2,017 million gigajoules of energy, equivalent to RM97.1 billion (S$28 billion) by the year 2050. This announcement came from the Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Minister, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, during his presentation of the Bill in the lower house on Tuesday.
Furthermore, this legislation is anticipated to reduce emissions by a significant 197,877 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over the same period. It is expected that the new law will also create employment opportunities in the fields of energy management and auditing, although specific details about the bill’s content were not provided.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad emphasized the significance of this approach, stating that it will enable the government to adopt a more comprehensive strategy in planning energy supply and generation. Additionally, it aligns with the country’s broader climate change objectives.
The legislation will now proceed to the Senate, the upper house, for approval before being formally gazetted.
