KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has proposed that at least 20 per cent of multilateral urban climate financing be channelled directly to local authorities and communities in informal settlements to strengthen their capacity to adapt to climate change.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, who is leading Malaysia’s delegation to the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), proposed the establishment of a Direct-to-Community Urban Climate Facility to channel the funds through predictable block grants.
“This would empower local authorities and communities to implement practical climate adaptation measures at grassroots level, including building retrofits for improved cooling, stormwater management and climate-resilient infrastructure, while ensuring vulnerable communities are protected from the growing impacts of climate change,” he said during a UN-Habitat session on housing and climate action in Antalya, Turkiye.
In a statement, Nga also said climate-resilient housing should be recognised as a fundamental human right and a public good.
Citing a UN-Habitat review which found that 69 per cent of national climate commitments addressed urban housing, he said the challenge was to translate those commitments into practical improvements for people in informal settlements and other vulnerable communities.
Nga said Malaysia’s integrated approach to housing and local government allowed national climate adaptation targets to be put into practice through building regulations, energy efficiency measures, and urban planning guidelines across its 156 local authorities.
Meanwhile, at the launch of Rethink Food. Reduce Waste. – The #OneBillion Challenge, he called for greater public participation in waste management, citing Malaysia’s Separation at Source initiative as an example of how households could put national policy into practice.
“Last year, Malaysian families and communities collectively set a national record by collecting more than 27,600 kilogrammes of used cooking oil in a single day, demonstrating how everyday household waste could be transformed into valuable resources, including sustainable aviation fuel and green energy, provided all parties work together,” he said.
Nga also highlighted Malaysia’s Circular Economy Blueprint 2025-2035 and pilot Zero Waste District initiatives in KLCC and Penang as part of efforts to strengthen waste management.
He also witnessed the launch of the Malaysia Pavilion at COP31, which was graced by the Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Taking place from Nov 9 to 20, COP31 brings together world leaders, ministers, senior government representatives, intergovernmental and multilateral organisations, civil society groups, climate adaptation practitioners, and youth champions to advance global cooperation on climate action.