The Malaysia Forest Fund (MFF) and Gold Standard have entered into a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a significant milestone in Malaysia’s efforts to enhance the integrity and global alignment of its forestry carbon initiatives.
Held at the MFF headquarters in Putrajaya, the MoU exchange ceremony signifies a collaborative commitment to strengthen MFF’s institutional capabilities and support the development of a robust, high-quality national carbon credit framework. The agreement aims to align Malaysia’s Forest Carbon Offset (FCO) programme and Forest Conservation Certificate (FCC) with internationally recognised benchmarks under the Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG).
Through this collaboration, Gold Standard will provide technical guidance and policy support to enhance MFF’s readiness and facilitate the implementation of high-integrity forestry projects. Key areas of focus include exploring alignment with international certification standards, raising awareness of Gold Standard’s procedures and infrastructure—particularly in relation to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement—and rolling out capacity-building activities such as targeted training sessions and stakeholder engagements.
Dato’ Mohamed Shah Redza bin Hussein, Chief Executive Officer of MFF, emphasised the importance of the partnership in elevating the credibility of Malaysian forestry carbon projects on the global stage.
“This MoU reflects our collective ambition to raise the standards of forestry carbon projects in Malaysia. We are honoured to partner with Gold Standard, whose reputation and rigour will significantly enhance our ability to deliver projects that are not only impactful but also credible in the eyes of the international market,” he said.
He further highlighted the need for continued support from both federal and state governments, noting the MoU as a demonstration of shared commitment to environmental sustainability and Malaysia’s proactive role in global climate action.
Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard, also welcomed the collaboration.
“Gold Standard is committed to supporting high-integrity carbon pricing mechanisms across a range of markets and compliance regimes. As Asian markets scale their climate ambitions, we are especially pleased to partner with Malaysia, whose leadership is helping to shape a credible and effective ASEAN carbon market,” she said.
The partnership reinforces Malaysia’s aspiration to be a regional leader in sustainable forestry and carbon finance, and to position its forestry sector as a key contributor to national and international climate objectives.
