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Ene- The collaboration establishes a phased framework for technical and institutional cooperation.
- The two organisations will work together to support credible forest-based climate action in Malaysia.
- The focus is on standards alignment and integrity, not predefined projects or credit issuance.
Malaysia / Colombia –, 27 January 2026 — Cercarbono and Malaysia Forest Fund (MFF) today announced a strategic South–South collaboration to support the development of credible, high-integrity forest carbon and nature-based solutions in Malaysia through structured technical cooperation and institutional alignment.
The collaboration brings together, Malaysia Forest Fund (MFF), Malaysia’s national forest financing agency, established under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability to develop innovative finance strategies to mobilize financing for sustainable forest initiatives, including implementing the country’s REDD+ Finance Framework, and Cercarbono, an independent environmental certification standard with extensive experience in REDD+, Reforestation and Blue Carbon projects and methodologies across tropical and subtropical ecosystems. By combining national leadership in forest finance with applied standards expertise developed in comparable contexts, the partnership seeks to strengthen emerging forest carbon frameworks while ensuring alignment with national priorities and governance systems.
The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a delivery-oriented framework focused on mutual learning, feasibility assessment, and interoperability. It is designed to support clarity and confidence as Malaysia continues to strengthen its Forest Carbon Offset framework and as national approaches to forest-based climate action increasingly intersect with international standards and markets.
For MFF, the collaboration provides a structured platform to engage with practical experience from other Global South jurisdictions that have implemented forest and land-use carbon projects under real market conditions, while also opening space for knowledge exchange on biodiversity-related approaches and the integration of nature outcomes alongside climate objectives.
For Cercarbono, the partnership reflects a commitment to South–South cooperation – working alongside public institutions in emerging economies to co-develop robust, context-appropriate solutions grounded in national policy objectives, transparent governance, and technical rigour.
Carlos Trujillo, Chairman of Cercarbono, said: “This collaboration brings national leadership and independent, internationally recognised standards into closer alignment around robust methodologies and governance. That alignment is essential for building confidence in forest-based climate action and biodiversity outcomes, and in the continued development of credible environmental markets across Malaysia.”
Suhaini Binti Haron, Senior Director at Malaysia Forest Fund, said: “Our collaboration with Cercarbono supports Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to develop innovative and credible finance mechanisms for forest conservation and sustainable management. By engaging with established international expertise, we enhance institutional learning and we are laying the groundwork for context-relevant forest-based climate solution approaches that are credible, transparent, and aligned with both national priorities and international expectations..”
Under the MoU, both organisations will undertake a phased work programme to explore areas of cooperation, including in knowledge sharing and capacity building, as well as advancing innovative finance frameworks within the carbon market space and beyond, in line with Malaysia’s evolving policy objectives and regional priorities.
Cercarbono and MFF view this long-term engagement as one grounded in trust, shared learning, and transparency – contributing to the development of resilient, high-integrity forest-based climate frameworks in Malaysia and reinforcing the importance of South–South collaboration in global carbon markets.
For media enquiries:
Valentina Fierro, Cercarbono: valentina.fierro@cercarbono.com
About Cercarbono
Cercarbono is an environmental project certification standard that accelerates high-integrity carbon, circular economy, and biodiversity projects. Established in Colombia in 2016, it is one of the three leading voluntary carbon standards worldwide. Leveraging its multicultural expertise, firsthand knowledge of vital ecosystems, and predominantly Latin American presence, it brings an on-the-ground understanding of the requirements needed for successful climate initiatives.
With over 200 global projects registered in more than 20 countries to date, its focus is on elevating the voices of underserved communities and helping them participate and actively shape environmental markets so that finance flows stay in the countries that need them the most.
Visit: www.cercarbono.com
About Malaysia Forest Fund
The Malaysia Forest Fund is an agency established under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability of Malaysia, responsible for the development, operationalization and implementation of innovative finance instruments that aim to mobilize financing and support sustainable forest initiatives. Malaysia Forest Fund (MFF) has developed a non-market-based forest financing mechanism through the Forest Conservation Certificate (FCC) in 2024, and is currently developing a market-based financing mechanism under the Forest Carbon Offset (FCO) Programme to support the conservation, protection and restoration of Malaysia’s forests.
Visit: www.myforestfund.com.my