mergawati zulfakar The Star 24 Sep 14;
NEW YORK: Malaysia will to continue to act to cut carbon emissions through new policies involving climate change and green technology.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic) said Malaysia had taken a clear step towards a cleaner future, resulting in a more sustainable economy and balanced energy mix.
"Six years ago, in Copenhagen, I announced that Malaysia would cut the emissions intensity of our GDP by 40% by 2020.
"But this progress came at a cost. In allocating finite national resources, we have had to make painful decisions. Sometimes, we have had to choose between adaptation and mitigation.
"Malaysia has spent nearly US$2.6bil (RM8.4bil) in the last decade adapting to more frequent floods. This is money we could have invested in green industries, or used to slow climate change," he said at the Climate Summit at the United Nations Tuesday.
The summit drew more than 120 heads of state and government to announce their vision and commitments on actions to reduce emissions, enhance resistance to climate change and mobilise financing for climate action.
Najib, however, expressed disappointment that despite Malaysia fulfilling its commitments to cut emissions, it has yet to receive any assistance from parties which had promised to assist developing countries on ways to tackle climate change.
"Malaysia will continue to cut its emissions intensity without getting the support but we are doing it for the sake of the people and our planet.
"Malaysia shows that economic growth need not depend on emissions.
"We stand ready to work with other fast-developing nations to argue for greater ambition in 2015; and to show that economic development and climate action are not competing goals, but common ambitions," he said.
Rich nations should do more, Najib tells UN Climate Summit
A JALIL HAMID New Straits Times 24 Sep 14;
NEW Y0RK: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the UN Climate Summit on Tuesday that Malaysia is committed to cut carbon emissions but said rich nations should also keep to their promises.
He said at the one-day summit ahead of the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly that Malaysia was on track to cut the emissions intensity of the gross domestic product by 40 per cent by 2020 as promised.
He said the pledge made at the 2009 Copenhagen UN climate change conference was made on the understanding that parties would honour their commitments to assist developing nations in financing and technology transfer.
“They did not. Yet Malaysia continued to cut its emissions intensity, for the sake of our people – and our planet.
“This time must be different. This time, all countries should commit to an ambitious deal to reduce emissions. And they must follow-up that commitment with consistent action,” he said in a speech.
Najib said since 2009, Malaysia has implemented new national policies on climate change and green technology.
“We (also) passed a Renewable Energy Act establishing a feed-in-tariff for renewables. We made adaptation and mitigation central to our water resource management. And we gazetted new forest reserves, reaffirming our commitment to a pledge we made at the Rio Earth Summit,” he said.
He said Malaysia had also taken steps towards a cleaner future besides having a more balanced energy mix.
“But this progress came at a cost. In allocating finite national resources, we have had to make painful decisions. Sometimes, we have had to choose between adaptation and mitigation.
”Malaysia has spent nearly US$2.6 billion in the last decade adapting to more frequent floods. This is money we could have invested in green industries, or used to slow climate change,” he said.
Najib said Malaysia would continue to act on climate change by having new policies to promote energy efficient vehicles, a new corporate greenhouse gas reporting programme, a building sector energy efficiency project and a low carbon city framework.
