The Environmental Protection and Management Order, Chapter 240, has the sole purpose of protecting and properly managing the environment with the objective of preventing, or at least minimising, environmental pollution, said Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid.
He said this in his keynote address at the launch of Environment Week: Road Towards a Sustainable Environment #BeTheSolution yesterday.
“Since its entry into force in 2016, more and more industries and new developments have incorporated environmental consideration into their planning and taken mitigative and preventive measures against pollution, such as conducting environmental impact assessments and devising environmental management and monitoring plans.”
The minister also shared the measures, initiatives, polices and regulations which have been implemented and put in place by the Sultanate to safeguard the environment and ensure its sustainability into its development agenda.
On the increasing efforts to reduce the use of single-use plastics can be seen “from government initiatives such as the No Plastic Bag Every day and Plastic Bottle Free Initiative, to non-governmental organisation (NGO)-led campaigns such as Zero Waste Brunei and various recycling drives, as well as the increasing availability of reusables by F&B and other private vendors,” he said.
“In 2020, the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy (BNCCP) was formulated to pave the way towards a low carbon, climate-resilient and sustainable nation.
“It set a target of planting 500,000 new trees by 2035, increasing total share of renewable energy to at least 30 per cent in the power mix by 2035, and introducing carbon pricing.”
The minister also highlighted three key ways – the Three Malay P’s (3MPs) – to ensure the efforts in sustaining the environment are in itself sustainable.
The first ‘P’ is pengetahuan (knowledge). “Be knowledgeable of what impact a development may have on the environment as this would increase your awareness on the importance of the need to protect it. Be knowledgeable of the relevant science and data, as this would help you in making informed decisions. Be knowledgeable of our local tendencies and surroundings, and in the context of Brunei Darussalam, our national principles, aspirations and priorities,” he said.
The second ‘P’, the minister explained, “is pimpin (lead). Achieving sustainability is not a one-man job. It requires a team, and a team requires a leader. Leadership requires us to act, particularly in making difficult decisions and having the courage to do what is right, in a timely manner”.
And, the third ‘P’, he highlighted “is penyertaan (participation). We may be aware and knowledgeable of the importance of safeguarding the environment and the science behind it, and we may have the best policies, initiatives and programmes in place, but without the participation and collective efforts of stakeholders, we would not be able to yield the desirable outcome and achieve our goal holistically”.
Speaking on the Environment Week, the minister said, “Today and tomorrow will see environmental experts from the government, private sector, academia, NGOs and businesses convening to share their knowledge and exchange ideas on current environmental affairs
and sustainability.
“We will also see exhibitions showcasing a range of green initiatives and services, providing opportunities for all of us to gain knowledge and to interact with one another.” – James Kon
