Fadillah reaffirms goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050

• Deputy Prime Minister II and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra), Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof urged stakeholders to invest in new technologies, share knowledge across industries, and support human capital development to address challenges of energy transition. 

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 19): Deputy Prime Minister II and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra), Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (pictured) reaffirmed Malaysia’s target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, calling for stronger collaboration and innovation to accelerate the transition.

Speaking at the International Green Build Conference (IGBC) 2025, which was co-organised by Rehda Institute and GreenRE, Fadillah acknowledged that the country’s efforts align with the ASEAN 2025 vision of inclusivity and sustainability.

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He said that central to Malaysia’s transition is the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act (EECA) 2024, which establishes a legal foundation for efficient energy use across industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. 

Covering both electrical and thermal energy, the Act promotes energy-efficient building designs, retrofitting of infrastructure, and comprehensive demand management.

Building on this framework, the ministry is set to introduce the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2026–2035 (NEEAP 2.0), which will serve as a comprehensive roadmap for nationwide energy savings.

Renewable energy and green growth

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) sets a long-term target of achieving 70% installed renewable energy capacity by 2050, with contributions from large-scale solar, biomass, biogas, and hydrogen technologies.

In the near term, the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) has set specific goals, including raising renewable energy’s share of the national mix to 35% by 2025, enhancing energy efficiency across sectors, and expanding green building certifications such as GreenRE, Fadillah revealed.

To date, GreenRE has certified more than 400 million square feet of green building space across nearly 800 projects in Malaysia and abroad, serving as a key benchmark for energy performance and carbon tracking in the built environment.

Meanwhile, alongside renewable expansion, Petra is conducting a feasibility study on nuclear energy, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

Fadillah said the study will examine nuclear’s potential as a stable base-load power source in regions with limited renewable deployment, while also assessing waste management requirements.

Collaboration and talent development

Fadillah urged stakeholders to invest in new technologies, share knowledge across industries, and support human capital development. 

He also emphasised the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing to promote best practices and address challenges, reinforcing the need to strengthen human capital development through training and research initiatives led by institutions such as the Rehda Institute.

Underscoring the market impact of green practices, Alpha REIT non-independent non-executive chairman and Malaysian REIT Managers Association (MRMA) honorary secretary Datuk George Stewart LaBrooy noted that non-green buildings may lose over 10% in value, while green-certified properties generally achieve stronger performance, with occupancy rates of between 85% and 95%.

EdgeProp is media partner for IGBC 2025, themed “Adaptation Through Sustainable Innovation” and co-organised by GreenRE and REHDA.

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