@ greenXtra | November-December . 2024
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From left : Tengku Hassanal Shah , Al-Sultan Abdullah Shah , and Tengku Ampuan Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah .
COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber addressing the summit .
to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions .
“ We reckoned that the energy and industrial sector accounts for most of Malaysia ’ s total emissions . Thus , addressing emissions from these two sectors is the mainstay in our climate actions .
“ Under the auspices of the National Energy Transition Roadmap ( NETR ), we envisage elevating the share of renewable energy in our Total Primary Energy Supply .
“ Thus , this transitional aspiration is projected to significantly increase not only the National GDP value from Energy Transition activities but also generate more jobs for Malaysians .”
Al-Sultan Abdullah also clarified that such commitments towards this transition involve meticulous policy implementations whereby finance and technology accessibility stand out as additional hurdles for developing and emerging economies .
It is imperative that bridging the gap in technology and finance between developed and developing nations is crucial to providing equal access to clean energy solutions at an affordable cost .
COP28 had delegates and representatives worldwide to discuss the necessary options to combat climate change whilst delivering sustainability to all walks of life .
PRESSING ONWARDS
“ Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a stark reality confronting us daily .
“ Countries around the world , rich and poor , are confronted by rising temperatures , increasingly frequent extreme weather events , and the relentless transformation of our natural world for the worse .
“ While decarbonisation efforts through technological solutions often take the forefront in climate action discourses , it is crucial also to recognise the significant role of nature-based solutions in combating climate change ,” added Al-Sultan Abdullah .
Malaysia had consistently upheld its commitment during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , in 1992 to maintain at least 50 per cent of the country ’ s land area under forests and tree cover .
In addition , Malaysia is recognised as one of the world ’ s 17 most megadiverse countries due to its wealthy biodiversity .
“ Thus , Malaysia seeks to enforce the Energy Efficiency Act and is now formulating the Climate Change Bill . We have launched Malaysia ’ s first Shariah-compliant voluntary carbon market that helps the private sector offset emissions and promotes more carbon project adoption .
“ We have also recently announced incentives in our 2024 budget to increase the use of electric vehicles ( EVs ).
“ Malaysia has been recognised as the highest-ranking Asia country in the Energy Transition Index 2023 Report by the World Economic Forum . Nevertheless , we can still do much more , especially around our region .
“ Collaboration among peers is the key effort in addressing climate change .” – @ greenXtra