UNESCO Geopark status strengthens Sarawak’s zero-waste push
KUCHING, 6 October 2026: Sarawak’s recognition of the Sarawak Delta as a UNESCO Global Geopark gives the state added strength to advance its zero-waste agenda and become an example to Malaysians, said Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark Community Engagement and Public Education Committee Chair Dr Azmil Munif Mohd Bukhari.
Drawing on Langkawi’s experience as one of Malaysia’s pioneers in the UNESCO Global Geopark network, Azmil said Sarawak could use its new geopark status as a platform to strengthen sustainability efforts, including zero-waste management.
Azmil, who is also a Global Geoparks Network Executive Board member, said Sarawak had already demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability through its forest conservation efforts and public awareness of waste management.
“With the UNESCO Global Geopark designation, this gives Sarawak another strength to move forward and become an example to Malaysians in zero-waste management,” he said at the Zero Waste Management 2.0 Conference 2026 held in UCSI Hotel here yesterday.
He said Sarawak could further strengthen this effort by extending zero-waste education and awareness programmes beyond urban centres to reach rural communities.
Azmil said zero-waste management was also closely aligned with the aspirations of the Sarawak Delta UNESCO Global Geopark, particularly in ensuring the sustainability of the Kuching urban area and its surrounding communities.
“From what I have seen, Sarawak has done well in preserving its forests, and the attitude of Sarawakians towards waste management is also very good,” he said, while congratulating Sarawak on its UNESCO Global Geopark achievement.
He stressed that efforts to reduce waste and plastic pollution must ultimately begin at the individual and household level, rather than relying solely on waste management systems.
“We must do this properly, starting from our homes or from ourselves, so that waste does not end up in landfills,” he said.
Azmil also highlighted the connection between land-based waste and marine pollution, saying plastic discarded into the sea could eventually return to land.
“If someone throws a plastic bottle into the sea, within six months it can return to the shores of Langkawi. That is the law of nature. When we throw waste into the sea, the sea brings it back to land. This is a natural cycle that we need to address,” he said, adding that much of the plastic waste found in the sea originated from land, underscoring the need for communities to address waste at its source.
Zero Waste Management 2.0 Conference 2026 brings together policymakers, local authorities, businesses, financial institutions, ESG practitioners, zero waste pioneers, NGOs, technology providers, educators, and community leaders to explore innovative strategies, exchange best practices, and develop practical solutions for a circular future.
With a theme "From Waste to Resource: Building Circular Communities", the two-day programme moves the conversation beyond conventional waste collection, recycling campaigns, and landfill management, while challenging participants to rethink waste from its source.
