KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is committed to continuing its policy to gazette high biodiversity forests as Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) which make up at least 30 per cent of the state by 2025.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said in addition, 7.44 per cent of Sabah's coastlines currently were marine protected areas, measuring 1.015 million hectares.
By 2025, Sabah hopes to gazette another 1.026 million hectares as protected areas, making it 14.8 per cent in total.
"Sabah also plans to extend its terrestrial park area (UNSDG15), where Long Pasia highland area is targeted as the next terrestrial park in Sabah.
"Currently, the total size of terrestrial protected areas in Sabah is 1.9 million hectares, or 25 per cent of forested areas in Sabah," said Jafry in his welcoming remarks at the 2nd Asia Parks Congress opening ceremony held in Sabah International Convention Centre here.
Also in attendance was Sabah Deputy Chief Minister cum Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
"I am proud to mention that Sabah Parks pledged to achieve Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations, especially Strategy 2: Contribute to the Achievement of International Goals of SDGs by extending marine park areas in Sabah.
"Two marine parks in Sabah yet to be gazetted are Mantanani Island Park with a total area of 196,998ha in 2020 and Darvel Bay Park with a total area of 103,393ha in 2022," he said.
The congress themed "Parks for Nature and People" is apt in highlighting the interconnections between nature and society, he said.
The Sabah government is highly aware of the importance of the natural environment and its ecosystem services and biodiversity to the wellbeing of people and to the local native indigenous, he said.
"The upcoming COP-15 in Kunming, China has set guidelines for global governments in transforming societal relationships with biodiversity, in ensuring shared visions of living harmoniously with nature are fulfilled by 2050," said Jafry.
Sabah has nine parks covering a total area of 1,216,416.76ha that remain as enduring legacies of those who have contributed towards the exploration, discovery and preservation of these amazing natural landscapes and habitats, he said.
Unesco-designated Kinabalu Park, made Malaysia's first World Heritage Site in 2000, is expected to be designated a Unesco Global Geopark Site in the near future, he said.
Crocker Range Park and its surrounding area were declared the "Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve (CRBR)" by Unesco in 2014 as part of the Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme. After Tasik Chini Pahang, CRBR is Malaysia's second Biosphere Reserve.
"The CRBR programme is a contribution by the Sabah government to global efforts to address economic issues, education, scientific research, cultural science, and enjoyment for the world's people," said Jafry.
Under Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei's Heart of Borneo (HOB) effort, he said Sabah is on track to achieve 30 per cent TPA.
Since the HOB Initiative began 14 years ago, Sabah has made great progress in forest protection.
The TPA expansion goal aligns with the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2021-2025 where Sabah aims to retain 50 per cent of its landmass under forest cover through continuous efforts and the state had increased forest cover to 65 per cent, with 52 per cent designated as forest reserves, parks, and wildlife reserves or sanctuaries, he said.
The congress hosted by the Sabah government brings to light six important conservation issues facing the region.
These are: nature-based solutions for health and wellbeing; governance of protected and conserved areas; connectivity and transboundary conservation; effective protected and conserved areas; economic and financial sustainability of protected and conserved areas; and urban conservation and a new generation.