Over 70 percent of the country's land area remains covered by forests. However, the transitioning forest protection to development without compromising ecological integrity requires technical and data accuracy and a robust verification process. The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism stated the matter during a Workshop titled "Exploring Forest Carbon Market Opportunities in Brunei Darussalam: The Case of Belait Peat Swamp Forest, 15th September morning.

Dayang Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab said assessing the readiness of the Belait Peat Swamp Forest, one of the carbon-rich forest types, as a pilot site for potential participation in the voluntary carbon market, is in line with the country's aspirations in forest conservation and climate change mitigation. The 2-day workshop in collaboration with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia is also participated by representatives from the Brunei Climate Change Office and the Ministry of Finance and Economy, as well as international experts from Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Germany.  Throughout the workshop, participants discussed findings related to carbon stock verification, assessed  the eligibility of the project based on international carbon standards, examined relevant policies and institutional frameworks supporting project implementation, and explored the financial feasibility aspects. A field visit to the Belait Peat Swamp Forest was also conducted. The key findings and recommendations from the workshop are expected to be presented at the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting.