Leading the Way in Building a High-Integrity Carbon Market Framework: The Case of Brunei’s Belait Swamp Forest

Brunei Darussalam has a strategic opportunity to align climate action with long-term ecological stewardship and economic diversification through the development of a high-integrity forest carbon market. With extensive intact forest cover, strong state-led governance, and globally significant peatland ecosystems, Brunei is well positioned to pursue carbon finance as a complementary policy instrument to support its nationally determined contribution objectives under the Paris Agreement.

This policy brief examines the technical, institutional, and governance foundations required to establish a credible forest carbon market in Brunei Darussalam, with a particular focus on peatland-based carbon projects. It underscores the importance of robust data systems, conservative baselines, and comprehensive risk management to ensure environmental integrity. The brief also assesses social and environmental safeguards, benefit-sharing mechanisms, and market-positioning strategies, including participation in voluntary carbon markets and potential engagement under Article 6 cooperative approaches.

The analysis finds that while Brunei’s strong legal protections for forests pose challenges for demonstrating additionality, they also provide a solid foundation for generating premium, high-integrity carbon credits if carbon market mechanisms are used to support enhanced conservation, monitoring, and restoration activities. By embedding rights-based safeguards, transparent governance arrangements, and long-term stewardship frameworks, Brunei can position itself as a regional model for people-centred, high-quality forest carbon finance.