Malaysia’s greenhouse gas emissions have increased significantly in tandem with economic growth. In 2019, energy and industrial activities, excluding forestry sinks, produced approximately 330 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions. The energy sector, particularly coal-fired power plants, supplies over 40% of the country’s emissions. Recognising the urgency to reduce its carbon footprint, Malaysia aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Additionally, Malaysia pledged to reduce its carbon intensity emissions per unit of GDP by 45% by 2030 compared to 2005. The Prime Minister of Malaysia recently announced in April 2025 a carbon tax, to be introduced in 2026, to incentivize industries to reduce their CO₂ emissions.
To meet these ambitious targets, Malaysia adopts a portfolio of strategies. Renewable energy development is a priority to achieve 70% renewable energy in the national electricity mix by 2050. Solar, hydro, and biomass energy are among the sources being rapidly expanded. Meanwhile, the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan aims to curb electricity consumption nationally. The preservation and enhancement of organic carbon sinks form another crucial pillar.
Through its REDD+ strategy, Malaysia will maintain at least 50% forest cover, a goal supported by initiatives such as the “100 Million Trees by 2025” campaign. Meanwhile, technological solutions like carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) have gained prominence. The enactment of a Comprehensive CCUS Act enables capturing, transporting, and storing CO₂ emissions, particularly from heavy industries like steel and cement manufacturing. This will be supported by a market-based carbon pricing mechanism, providing economic incentives for emission reductions.
Mineral carbonation is one of the lesser-known CCUS tools for permanent carbon sequestration. In this inorganic CCUS process, CO₂ reacts chemically with minerals rich in calcium, magnesium, or iron to form carbonate minerals. Malaysia possesses natural resources suitable for mineral carbonation. For instance, Basalt formations in Segamat and Kuantan contain between 15% and 21% calcium and 3% to 5% magnesium by weight, alongside silicate minerals such as pyroxene and olivine, readily reacting with CO₂.
In addition, industrial by-products such as construction and demolition waste, such as lime rich in similar minerals, can sequester CO₂ when exposed under controlled conditions. Experiments have shown these concrete fines can fix approximately 6.5% of their mass as stable carbonate minerals. These fines from concrete waste, quarry, and fly ash could capture between 100,000 and 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually in Malaysia.
The construction sector, which contributes up to 15% of Malaysia’s CO₂ emissions, benefits significantly from demolition and industrial waste sequestering CO₂. This presents a circular economy solution where cement plants, steel mills, and coal-fired power plants could integrate mineral carbonation into their waste handling systems, contributing to the national emissions reduction targets.
In the agricultural sector, enhanced rock weathering sequesters CO₂ into the soil using mineral carbonation. This technique involves applying finely ground silicate rocks to soil, where they react with atmospheric CO₂ through weathering processes to form solid carbonate minerals. Malaysia’s tropical rainfall and temperatures create conditions for accelerated weathering compared to colder climates.
In a field trial conducted in Sabah, oil palm plots treated with silicates showed an increased CO₂ drawdown of approximately one tonne per hectare compared to untreated plots. Although natural weathering rates are higher in tropical environments, the results confirmed that enhanced weathering accelerates carbon sequestration in soil. Additionally, enhanced rock weathering releases nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, improving soil health and crop productivity.
In addition, other sectors such as the manufacturing industry, particularly steel and cement production, can also integrate mineral carbonation. Waste materials such as slag that can undergo carbonation. Coal power plants produce fly ash that can be treated to sequester CO₂. Similarly, Mining and quarrying wastes contain reactive minerals, which can be used as carbonation agents to sequester CO₂. In addition, Malaysia’s new CCUS policies create opportunities for storing CO₂ in depleted oil fields. The CCUS industry could potentially attract up to USD 200 billion in investment and create as many as 200,000 new jobs, boosting economic benefits alongside environmental gains.
While mineral carbonation offers optimistic opportunities, it also presents challenges. Meaningful CO₂ sequestration through Mineral Carbonation would require vast quantities of crushed rock and efficient transportation logistics. Costs associated with mining, grinding, and applying rock dust must be carefully managed to ensure economic viability. Long-term field studies are essential to document the impacts on soil chemistry, water quality, and agricultural productivity. Furthermore, robust measurement and verification systems will be needed to certify the permanence of carbon storage and ensure environmental safety.
Despite these challenges, the potential benefits remain optimistic yet pragmatic. Malaysia is adopting a diversified portfolio to achieve net-zero emissions, including mineral carbonation, alongside other strategies such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, forest conservation, and carbon pricing.
Turning rocks and industrial waste into permanent carbon sinks is a promising solution. Careful implementations of these strategies could help Malaysia achieve its 2050 climate goals alongside sustainable economic growth.
Dr Hijaz Kamal bin Hasnan is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya. He and his colleagues at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Built Environment are currently studying and experimenting with the suitability of Malaysian basalts for use in Mineral Carbonation and for sequestering CO2 into concrete.
