This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of forest and climate change dynamics in Malaysia, with particular focus on Sabah and Sarawak. It examines historical and recent trends in forest cover, highlighting the impacts of agricultural expansion, logging, and infrastructure development on deforestation and forest degradation. The chapter outlines Malaysia’s forest governance system, emphasizing decentralized state-level authority and the implementation of sustainable forest management (SFM) policies. It also reviews national and subnational climate change strategies, including REDD+, forest monitoring systems, and carbon mitigation commitments. While Malaysia retains significant forest cover, the chapter underscores ongoing challenges in governance coordination, Indigenous rights, and balancing development with conservation.
This work is licensed under CC-BY 4.0
This work is licensed under CC-BY 4.0
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Publication year
2026
Authors
Kamlun, K.U.; Anthony, R.; Martin, R.A.; Raymond, B.D.; Rehman, R.M.; Pirin, J.; Mahali, M.
Language
English
Keywords
agricultural expansion, climate change, deforestation, degradation, forest management, governance, land use, redd-plus, tropical forests
Source
Forest Governance and Social Forestry in Sabah, Malaysia: Context, actors and institutions. CIFOR-ICRAF: Bogor, Indonesia and Nairobi, KenyaGeographic
Malaysia
