Kota Kinabalu, 12 December 2025 – The 5th Borneo Colloquium on Environmental Justice, held late last week in Kota Kinabalu, commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Kota Kinabalu Court Working Group on Environment (KKCWGE) and reinforced the judiciary’s leadership in advancing environmental and climate justice.

Jointly organised by the State Court of Sabah, led by the Kota Kinabalu Court Working Group on Environment (KKCWGE), the State Attorney-General’s Chambers of Sabah, and WWF-Malaysia, the two-day colloquium brought together over 100 participants, including judges, enforcement agencies, legal practitioners, government officials, academics, and civil society organisations.

The colloquium opened with the theme “A Decade of Environmental Advocacy”, reflecting on the achievements of KKCWGE since its establishment in 2015. Over the past decade, the Working Group has pioneered judicial-enforcement collaboration in Malaysia, improving the handling of environmental cases, raising awareness, and strengthening the prosecution of environmental offenses. These efforts have been supported by agencies such as the Sabah Forestry Department, Environment Protection Department Sabah, Sabah Wildlife Department, and Sabah Parks, alongside NGOs like WWF-Malaysia.

The event also marked the launch of the KKCWGE Report: 10-Year Impact Review, which documents milestones including the development of Sentencing Guidelines for Wildlife and Forest Crimes, capacity-building for enforcement officers, and innovative initiatives such as mock trials and the “1 Hour for Nature” programme.

"KKCWGE’s humble beginning saw the KK court bringing several government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to the table to discuss how to protect the environment. The working group’s agendum was simple. It saw the need to strengthen environmental justice by building bridges between the courts, enforcement agencies, government institutions, local communities, and civil society,” said The Honourable Justice Dean Wayne Daly, Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak, during his keynote address at the opening ceremony.

The second day of the colloquium carried the theme “A Call for Climate Justice”, aligning with regional efforts under the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ) following the Cebu Declaration and the establishment of the Working Group on Climate Justice. Discussions explored how to define climate justice within Malaysia’s legal framework and strategies to ensure equitable responses to climate change.

In his speech, Dr Henry Chan, Conservation Director of WWF-Malaysia, highlighted the urgency of integrating climate justice into law and policy: “Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it intersects with governance, social equity, and human rights. Climate justice means ensuring that no community is disproportionately affected and that solutions are inclusive, equitable, and resilient. Nature-based solutions such as forest restoration can help mitigate impacts while supporting livelihoods.”

Dr Chan also emphasised the importance of indigenous and local communities: “Their traditional knowledge and stewardship are invaluable in shaping equitable solutions. Protecting their rights is central to achieving true climate justice.”

“For the past decade, the judiciary in Sabah has demonstrated that environmental justice is achievable through collaboration and commitment. As we move forward, defining climate justice within our legal system is essential to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of present and future generations,” said The Right Honourable Datuk Hajah Azizah binti Haji Nawawi, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

The colloquium concluded with a call for continued collaboration among the judiciary, enforcement agencies, and civil society to strengthen environmental governance and climate resilience in Sabah and the broader Borneo region.

About WWF-Malaysia

World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) was established in 1972 and is part of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the international conservation organisation. Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature, WWF-Malaysia’s efforts to conserve nature focus on six major themes: forests, oceans, wildlife, food, climate and energy, as well as freshwater. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Find our latest news here:  https://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/media_centre_and_updates/