PETRONAS AND MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS F1 TEAM TO COLLABORATE ON ADVANCING RESEARCH ON CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE IN MANGROVE ECOSYSTEMS
Released on: Friday, 13 Jun 2025 5:10PM
PETRONAS and collaborators at the officiating ceremony of the Blue Carbon Collective held at the inaugural Energy and Nature Forum. From left to right: Felipe Lermen, Chargé d'Affaires, Brazil Embassy in Malaysia, Nelly Francis-Shariah, CEO,Yayasan PETRONAS, Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik, President and Group CEO, PETRONAS, Datuk Dr Ching Thoo a/l Kim, Secretary General, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Charlotte-Wolff-Bye, Vice President and Group Chief Sustainability Officer, PETRONAS, Alice Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, and Professor Dr. Azlizam Bin Aziz, Dean, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
PETRONAS ALSO UNVEILS NEW NATURE TARGETS AT INAUGURAL ENERGY AND NATURE FORUM
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- PETRONAS and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team will be collaborating to launch the Blue Carbon Collective, a South-South research initiative that aims to advance research and knowledge exchange on carbon capture and storage in mangrove ecosystems. The Collective will build upon the ongoing cooperation between the University of São Paulo (USP) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), fostering collaboration and resource sharing between two countries in the southern hemisphere – Malaysia and Brazil.
The announcement took place at the inaugural Energy and Nature Forum, hosted by PETRONAS in Kuala Lumpur, which aims to put a spotlight on the intersection of energy and nature by bringing together global leaders from both fields. PETRONAS also unveiled its first ever nature and resource efficiency targets at the Forum which, together with the Blue Carbon Collective, reinforces the company’s commitment to use natural resources responsibly and to engage in practices that restore, protect and conserve ecosystems in countries where it operates.
The five-year collaboration is expected to generate vital research data to advance carbon emissions reduction strategies, help conserve mangroves, and create local job and business opportunities. The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team will support the research activities, reflecting their commitment to raising environmental awareness.
“Together with our partners, we believe that the Blue Carbon Collective is an important research initiative that enables the global community to further unlock the potential of mangroves in mitigating risks of climate change. As PETRONAS launches its new nature targets, this initiative will also help enhance our collective understanding of efforts related to biodiversity even as we work towards creating a net positive impact in our projects and undertakings,” said Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik, the President and Group CEO of PETRONAS during the launch.
The officiating ceremony was witnessed by Datuk Dr Ching Thoo a/l Kim, Secretary General, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability. Also present were Charlotte-Wolff-Bye, Vice President and Group Chief Sustainability Officer for PETRONAS, Alice Ashpitel, Head of Sustainability for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, Nelly Francis-Shariah, CEO of Yayasan PETRONAS, Professor Dr. Azlizam Bin Aziz, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Environment from Universiti Putra Malaysia and Felipe Lermen, Chargé d'Affaires, Brazil Embassy in Malaysia.
The Blue Carbon Collective also supports Yayasan PETRONAS’ One Million Trees Programme – an ecosystem restoration and community development initiative that will see 100,000 mangrove trees planted in the Sungai Santi Forest Reserve in Johor, Malaysia, to rehabilitate degraded areas. To date, 20,000 mangrove seedlings have been planted by the local communities.
The ongoing cooperation between USP and UPM will support UPM to conduct research in the Sungai Santi Forest Reserve and apply established methodologies from Brazil. These include carbon stock assessment and monitoring of soil quality and ecosystem health in Malaysia, enabling comparative analysis between the two countries.
The Blue Carbon Collective aims to deliver several research objectives including identifying the impact of land use changes, understanding carbon stabilisation mechanisms, and developing and applying a soil quality index.
The initiative aligns with PETRONAS’ Sustainability Approach, particularly the pillars of Thriving with Nature, which promotes ecosystem restoration and conservation, and Fostering a Just Transition, which supports equitable opportunities for local communities. This initiative also reinforces and strengthens the sustainability intent of the partnership between PETRONAS and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, not only on the racetrack but also off the track towards achieving our shared net zero ambitions.
Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team said, “We are in the business of sustainable high performance and the ways in which we push boundaries in our world is underpinned by research and innovation. We are pleased to contribute to this important South-South study which will help to advance the global understanding of blue carbon and the role mangroves can play in nature-based climate solutions. This latest project with our Title & Technical Partner PETRONAS is a testament to our shared long-term commitment to create a positive impact, driving sustainable growth that benefits the environment and wider society.”
Professor Dr. Azlizam Bin Aziz, Dean, Faculty of Forestry and Environment from Universiti Putra Malaysia said, “We are excited to join hands with our partners in advancing the science and stewardship of blue carbon ecosystems. This collaboration strengthens our commitment to tackling climate change and preserving vital coastal biodiversity for future generations.”
Professor Tiago Osório Ferreira, project coordinator on the Brazilian side from the University of São Paulo, stated: “This initiative represents a unique opportunity to strengthen scientific collaboration by applying robust, field-tested methodologies from Brazil to the unique ecological context of Malaysia. These findings will support the development of process-based models for carbon dynamics in Blue Carbon ecosystems at a global scale and produce evidence-based climate policies grounded in nature-based solutions.”
PETRONAS announces first nature and resource efficiency targets
PETRONAS also announced its first targets for nature and resource efficiency at the Energy and Nature Forum, marking a landmark moment for the company in streamlining its efforts biodiversity conservation and even more responsible use of natural resources in Malaysia and in communities where PETRONAS conducts operations.
These targets for nature are:
1. No net loss of biodiversity for existing operations
a) By 2030, PETRONAS aims to have Biodiversity Action Plans for all existing sites within their operational control rated ‘very high’ or ‘high’ risks, which include measures for ecosystem rehabilitation.
b) From 2030, PETRONAS aims to maintain the habitat size for all sites within their operational control located in protected areas and/or key biodiversity areas. Where not feasible, PETRONAS establishes comparable areas to substitute the loss.
c) From 2030, PETRONAS’ decommissioning plans or equivalent documents, will include ecosystem rehabilitation measures for operations/projects in protected areas and/or key biodiversity areas.
2. Net positive impact on biodiversity for new projects
From 2024, PETRONAS aims to demonstrate Net Positive Impact for all new projects in protected areas and/or key biodiversity areas. For these projects, by 2050, PETRONAS pledges to demonstrate at least 30% rehabilitation of natural habitat.
The targets for resource efficiency are:
1) PETRONAS will aim to reduce its freshwater withdrawal for its domestic operations at existing water-stressed areas by 14% by 2030 using 2021 as baseline.
2) PETRONAS will aim to achieve a circularity rate of 82% for hazardous waste at its domestic operations by 2030.
About PETRONAS
As a global energy and solutions partner, PETRONAS is driven by its purpose to enrich lives for a sustainable future. With presence in over 100 countries, the group continues expanding its portfolios ranging from conventional and cleaner energy solutions to a diverse range of fuel, lubricants and petrochemical products. While ensuring sustainable practices across its operations, PETRONAS strives to ensure just and equitable outcomes in transitioning to a lower carbon future.
Issued by
Media Communications
Group Strategic Relations & Communications
PETRONAS
SOURCE: Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
PETRONAS
Name: Estee Aina Huslan
Tel: 012-2283377
Email: esteeaina.huslan@petronas.com
--BERNAMA