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Running out of time to act on climate change
Malay Mail
07 Sep 2015
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19
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Running out of tune
to act on climate change
MALAYSIA is likely to be warmer and
experience higher rainfall throughout
this century due to climate change, says
a leading Malaysian climatologist. Going
by what the country experienced last year
in extreme weather patterns — prolonged
drought causing major water shortages in
the Klang Valley and catastrophic floods in
growth. Many reports, including the New
Climate Economy Report published last
year, concluded the global economy is un­
dergoing a deep structural transformation,
and that countries have an opportunity to
build lasting economic growth while re­
ducing the risks of climate change.
But it also warns that how we use an
the east coast states, Sabah and Sarawak estimated US$90 trillion (RM378 trillion)
— the projection seems sound. With the
full impact of El Nino expected this year,
resource challenges are many.
The risks of unabated climate change are
serious — rising sea levels that threaten to
flood coastal cities, increasingly extreme
weather that jeopardises food production
and worsening water shortages.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak
has recognised the threat and warned
earlier this year that "climate change and
global warming can no longer be viewed
lighdy", and reinforced the message that
of infrastructure investment over the next
15 years will determine the future of the
world's climate system.
The truth is that climate change is an
urgent challenge. We need to reduce glob­
al greenhouse gas emissions by between
40 per cent and 70 per cent by 2050 and
to near zero by 2100 to have a reason­
able chance of staying in the two­degree
safe zone.
That is a huge task, which needs to
start now.
No country will be immune to the dam­
"countries like ours — fast­developing aging impact — direct and indirect — of
nations in favour of ambitious action on
climate change. The World Meteorological
climate change — are living proof that the
economy and environment can prosper
together".
The European Union (EU) and many key
developed and developing economies are
taking action.
Organisation (WMO) estimates between
2000 and 2010, extreme climate events
killed 370,000 people worldwide (a 20 per
cent increase from the previous decade)
and caused US$660 billion (RM2.7 trillion)
of economic damage (an increase of over
Between 1990 and 2012, we in the EU 50 per cent from the previous decade).
In 2010 alone, WMO reported that cli­
reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 19
mate related extreme events displaced over
per cent, while the economy grew by 45
per cent. We have recently committed to 38 million people. Here in Southeast Asia,
reducing EU emissions by at least 40 per a 75cm sea level rise will submerge 40 per
cent by 2030. We have policies to meet cent of the Mekong Delta, and events like
these ambitious targets, while addressing damaging and costly floods, droughts and
the needs of our diverse members, which typhoons already experienced by South­
include regions with high and low in­ east Asian countries will become increas­
come, high coal and no coal, heavy and ingly frequent.
clean industries.
When it comes to the economy, much of
the debate about climate change — and re­
ducing the greenhouse gas emissions that
are fuelling it — is framed as a trade­off
between environmental protection and
economic prosperity.
New analysis has found this simply
not true. Action to tackle climate change
can be compatible with lasting economic
This year is crucial for global efforts to
avoid catastrophic climate change. We are
only three months away from the United
Nations Framework Convention on Cli­
mate Change Conference of Parties 21 in
Paris, where parties have committed to
reaching and being a part of a new, global
climate agreement to take effect in 2020.
We welcome Najib's comments at the
New York Times Energy For Tomorrow
Headline
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Date
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Running out of time to act on climate change
Malay Mail
07 Sep 2015
Color
Letters
Circulation
19
Readership
English
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Daily
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event in Kuala Lumpur in November last
year, where he offered Malaysia's help in
bridging what he called the "trust gap" be­
tween developed and developing countries
at the UN climate change negotiations.
The EU, and many of its member states,
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is pleased to be working with Malaysia on member states — Austria, Belgium,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Hungary,
This article is co­authored by the
Head of the European Union Delega­ Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Po­
tion to Malaysia and the Ambassa­ land, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the
dors and Charge d'Affaires of 17 EU United Kingdom.
climate change.
The EU welcomes Malaysia s
offer to help bridge the trust
gap' between developed and
developing countries at the UN
climate change negotiations.
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