BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network): The state of Brunei Darussalam is not exempt from the effects of the climate crisis, with an average temperature increase of 0.25 degrees Celsius per decade, which could reach 4°C by the end of the century, as well as monthly rainfall increasing by 500 mm per decade to 2050 mm by the year 2000.

The worrying trends that could threaten key economic sectors in the sultanate were highlighted by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah (pic) at the launch of the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Directive at the Prime Minister’s Office building on Jalan Menteri Besar on Thursday (April 27). The minister also highlighted the impact of climate change on Brunei, such as increased flooding, forest fires, landslides and strong winds that have damaged infrastructure, buildings and the environment. Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Mohd Amin Liew, Co-Chairman of the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Council (BNCCC), also commended the sultanate’s strong commitment to combating climate change. He said that although Brunei’s contribution to overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is low – just 0.017 percent per year – the sultanate is committed to the Paris Agreement and launched the BNCCP in July 2020 with the aim of achieving a low-carbon, climate-resilient and sustainable country. The minister said Brunei had also committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2030 and the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy (BNCCP) was launched to meet this target. Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Mohd Amin Liew said transparent and robust reporting on greenhouse gas emissions was crucial to monitoring the sultanate’s progress. (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network)