Kuala Lumpur sets roadmap for decarbonising the built environment

“We are grateful for the partnership with C40 since 2017, from developing our KL Climate Action Plan 2050 until the execution of climate action through the UCAP CAI programme,” said Azlan bin Abdullah, senior deputy director of the City Planning Department for DBKL. “The support in charting our long-term ambition, as well as capacity building to support mainstreaming of climate action, is appreciated. We look forward to continuing this momentum in making KL a sustainable and livable city for all.”

C40 said a defining legacy of the UCAP CAI programme is the institutionalisation of climate action within the city’s administrative DNA. Since 2022, the programme has fostered inter-departmental collaboration within DBKL, moving climate goals from a niche environmental concern to a core pillar of urban planning, building control, and engineering. Beyond policy, C40 has supported DBKL in establishing a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) Framework. 

Through intensive training, city officials are now equipped to formalise performance reviews and make rapid, evidence-based adjustments to climate strategies, ensuring long-term continuity. This systemic shift ensures that the city’s low-carbon ambition is resilient regardless of leadership changes, providing a stable foundation for the long-term delivery of the Kuala Lumpur Net Zero Carbon Building Roadmap 2050.

Tangible social benefits

Beyond high-level policy, the partnership has demonstrated the tangible social benefits of a low-carbon transition through its focus on inclusive climate action. A significant portion of the programme’s technical assistance was dedicated to identifying energy efficiency opportunities within the city’s social housing (PPR), directly addressing the needs of vulnerable communities.

By integrating equity diagnostic tools and conducting masterclasses for senior leadership, DBKL has ensured that the transition to a low-carbon city is directly addressing energy poverty and improving the quality of life for Kuala Lumpur’s most vulnerable communities. This approach marks a shift toward a green and just transition, ensuring that the benefits of sustainable urban innovation are equitably distributed across the city’s diverse population.

“Kuala Lumpur is setting a benchmark for how cities can move from climate planning to digital-age implementation,” said Murali Ram, C40 regional director for East, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

“Through the UCAP CAI programme, we have seen the city take full ownership of tools like the LCBC 2.0 Web Portal, which embeds sustainability directly into the development process.

“These tools are the final products from a seven-year climate action collaboration, beginning with KL setting its net-zero goal. The city is leading the way for Malaysia’s urban climate efforts”

“By focusing on both realistic short-term targets and ambitious long-term ones set out in the Net Zero Carbon Emissions Buildings Roadmap, Kuala Lumpur is ensuring that the transition to a low-carbon future is both technologically advanced and socially inclusive. This partnership has built a foundation that will serve the city for decades to come.”

The Jakarta Provincial Government, the British Embassy, and C40 Cities also officially concluded the UK-funded Climate Action Implementation (CAI) programme earlier this month, which marks a shift toward fully integrating climate resilience into the Indonesian city’s long-term infrastructure.

David Wallace, Deputy British High Commissioner to Malaysia, said: “The UK and Malaysia have a shared ambition of reaching net zero, and tackling climate change together is a well-established pillar of our bilateral relations.

“We are proud to support Kuala Lumpur’s efforts to make its climate plan a reality through new tools for more efficient energy use and planning, making the capital a more liveable city for all. These tools are the final products from a seven-year climate action collaboration, beginning with KL setting its net-zero goal. The city is leading the way for Malaysia’s urban climate efforts.”