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@ Forest | May-June , 2022

BY FATIHAH MANAF

SCIENTISTS HAVE estimated the age of the Earth to be over 4.54 billion years old , plus or minus about 50 million years . Despite its old age , the Earth continuously provides enormous natural resources for living beings to stay alive . However , the condition of the Earth has deteriorated over time due to human activities . It now faces many challenges , such as global warming and climate change .

As one of the efforts to promote and encourage worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment , Earth Day has been celebrated on Apr 22 since 1970 . It aims to diversify , educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide .

In conjunction with the Earth Day 2022 ’ s celebration , Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah , Regent of Pahang , delivered a statement emphasising the need for a significant transformational change in the world .

According to Tengku Hassanal , even though global environmental awareness and concern have risen dramatically over the past five decades , human activities have continued to destroy the “ web of life ”, which humans depend on for water , food , air and more .

“ Based on United Nations ’ assessment in 2019 , about 60 per cent of nature ’ s ecosystem services are visibly degrading , which means one million species of flora and fauna are under threat of extinction by 2050 ,” he shared .

Setting out new ambitious plans

Tengku Hassanal said most of his generation was yet to be born when member States signed a legally-binding treaty , the UN Convention on Biological Diversity , almost unanimously at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro . Its main objectives included biodiversity

Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah conservation , the sustainable use of its components , and access to and benefitsharing of genetic resources .

There were many attempts to address biodiversity loss through decadal frameworks for action and targets , and the latest one was the Aichi Biodiversity Targets ( 2011-2020 ).

“ While some individual countries accomplished one or more of the 20 targets , none were fully met by the world as a whole by the 2020 deadline .”

This year , the international community is considering another set of decadal goals in a new UN global biodiversity framework . The draft outlines an ambitious plan of broadbased actions to transform society ’ s relationship with nature . International negotiation of the goals and targets will continue in Nairobi in June , with plans for their final adoption in Kunming , China , in late summer .

“ Tanzanian Elizabeth Maruma Mrema , who heads the UN convention managing the negotiations , said 18 months ago that humanity is at a crossroads that would decide how future generations experience the natural world ,” shared Tengku Hassanal .

He then quoted Mrema : “ Earth ’ s living systems as a whole are being compromised . And the more humanity exploits nature in unsustainable ways and undermines its contributions to people , the more we undermine our wellbeing , security and prosperity .”

Severe impacts of climate change

Meanwhile , this year ’ s latest assessment from the UN ’ s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) reaffirmed that climate change has already caused more frequent and severe storms , floods , droughts , wildfires , and other extreme weather occurrences .

“ Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise . And the current commitments to address climate change are far below what ’ s needed to limit global warming to 1.5 ° C above pre-industrial levels ; the threshold scientists deem necessary to avoid more catastrophic impacts .

“ Particularly troubling is that the world ’ s wealthiest countries are responsible for disproportionately more emissions than developing countries , which experience the most severe impacts ,” he highlighted .

Tengku Hassanal then shared his experience witnessing the devastating impacts of the December 2021 floods in his home state , Pahang , including the loss of lives , properties and livestock .

“ At least 125,000 people were displaced , and 54 lives were lost – one of the nation ’ s deadliest natural catastrophes . And an estimated RM20 billion in economic losses were incurred , including around RM1.4 billion in damage to infrastructure nationwide .

“ When it comes to biodiversity loss , climate change and land degradation , immediate actions at every level and long-term strategic planning must be seriously considered by all of us .

“ No one is a bystander . Each one of us has a responsibility . We need a transformational change of mindset , making care for nature a core value of every action of our daily life .”

Youth at the forefront

Tengku Hassanal said the ongoing epidemic of Covid-19 – a virus passed from wild species to humans – was a stark reminder of the consequences when the balance of nature is disturbed . He said the Covid-19 socio-economic recovery efforts would be incomplete if people failed to prioritise planetary health .

“ As recently expressed by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres , speaking about the planet ’ s wellbeing : “ The hopes of the world rest on young people .”

“ This is a heavy responsibility we have no choice but to accept . It is vital to reset the planet ’ s trajectory to a better future immediately . Governments , businesses , financial institutions , civil society and citizens must step up to reverse the loss of nature and the aberration of climate change .”

He then invited and urged today ’ s young generation to join him in championing the environment and taking responsibility for their actions .

“ Collectively , we can drive change and take control of our future .” — @ Forest