@ green Xtra 10 September-October , 2021

We have become the first generation who cannot say that we did not know about climate change

BY GREGERS REIMANN

FOR SEVERAL YEARS , it has been understood and widely accepted that human activity , such as burning fossil fuels , is causing climate change . But it was never affirmed as a fact , that is , until the publication on Aug 6 , 2021 , of the latest IPPC Climate Report approved by 195 governments .

The report states that human activity is “ unequivocally ” the cause of rapid changes to the climate , including sea level rises , melting polar ice and glaciers , heatwaves , floods and droughts .

At the report ’ s release , the United Nations secretary-general António Guterres warned it was a “ code red for humanity . The alarm bells are deafening , and the evidence is irrefutable : Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk ”.

In other words , we have become the first generation who cannot say that we did not know about climate change and its existential threat to humanity .

Urgent climate action is needed to avoid a climate catastrophe . It includes reducing global greenhouse emissions to half by 2030 and achieving complete decarbonisation by 2050 .

The UN secretary-general is calling for an end to new coal plants and ending further fossil fuel exploration and development . He also implores governments , investors and businesses to be laser-focused on creating a low-carbon future by stating that the IPPC report should be seen as a “ death knell for coal and fossil fuels before they destroy our planet ”.

To what extent do these stark climate change warnings resonate with the Malaysian public ? Quite a lot , judging both from a March 2021 street survey , where 95 per cent of the respondents agreed climate change was a global emergency .

During a series of private-sector roundtable discussions earlier this year , participants gave a clear mandate for the Malaysian government to set ambitious and mandatory low-carbon targets and welcomed the introduction of carbon taxation .

In one of the roundtable polls , 91

Greenhouse gas emissions – and the decarbonisation path to avoid catastrophic , irreversible climate change

Urgent climate action is needed to avoid a climate catastrophe . It includes reducing global greenhouse emissions to half by 2030 and achieving complete decarbonisation by 2050 .” per cent of the respondents thought that Malaysia should set a nett zero emissions target by 2050 , and 87 per cent believed that Malaysia should introduce a carbon tax .

The CEO Action Network ( CAN ) and Climate Governance Malaysia ( CGM ) organised these roundtable feedback sessions , which compiled a list of low-carbon policy recommendations for the Malaysian government .

Equally important , there is a good business case to be made for transitioning away from fossil fuels , especially when including the external costs .

For example , the air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels causes at least seven million deaths per year , or about 20 per cent of all deaths globally , which comes at an enormous cost to society .

According to the World Health Organisation ( WHO ), burning fossil fuels is the most significant

environmental threat to human health . Consequently , for the first time in 16 years , WHO has adjusted its recommended limits for air pollution to save millions of lives .

The Solutions Project lead by Stanford University calculates what it takes to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy , both in terms of energy planning ( energy efficiency , renewable mix , energy storage and grid expansion ) and economics .

Once the cost of externalities is applied , the payback time becomes economically attractive .

In Malaysia ’ s case , a transition to 100 per cent renewable energy is calculated to have a payback time of only 1.8 years . It saves about 10,000 lives every year and creates close to half a million jobs .

Two-thirds of this energy will come from solar energy , and the rest mostly coming from wind power .

For the world to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy , a similar picture emerges with a payback time of just 1.4 years . According to The Solutions Project , energy efficiency will account for 57 per cent of the energy savings , while the remaining energy consumption will be covered by solar energy and wind power .

For decades , global and Malaysian greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing and have shown no sign of slowing down . Changing course to pursue a path of rapid decarbonisation will therefore not be easy .

Thankfully , weighty arguments for undertaking this 100 per cent renewable energy include broad public support , sound economics and the moral imperative of leaving a livable planet for our kids and future generations . And we need to get started immediately .

As of last month , we are the first generation , who cannot say that we did not know ! — @ greenXtra

Gregers Reimann is the managing director of IEN Consultants Sdn Bhd - a pioneering green building in Malaysia with a specialisation in efficient and healthy buildings .

Proposed energy mix for Malaysia after transitioning to 100 % renewable energy . ( Source : The Solutions Project , 2021 )