Country Comments

Brunei is a tiny nation on the island of Borneo surrounded by Malaysia and the South China Sea. Known for its beaches and biodiverse rainforest, much of it protected within reserves. Brunei’s economy is supported by exports of crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector accounting for over half of GDP. With a good standard of living driven primarily by the petroleum economy, Brunei’s population and consumption exceed the country’s carrying capacity.

Brunei’s fertility rate has been below replacement and has declined since 2016 which puts it on a path toward sustainability. However, according to Human Rights Watch, the Brunei government’s introduction of a new Sharia penal code (2019) poses grave threats to fundamental human rights and discriminates against the country’s most vulnerable groups, including children, women, and religious and sexual minorities. Abortion is criminalized. There is no support from the government for family planning nor does the country report anything related to access to family planning. Setting aside these basic human rights, these laws will adversely impact the environment, increasing unwanted pregnancies and births and further jeopardizing the country’s environmental future.