WHILE Malaysia’s contribution to the global carbon footprint is not particularly substantial, that does not mean it cannot help stave off what scientists have called humanity’s greatest threat while also benefitting from the process.  

Newly minted Energy, Green Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin said she sees climate change and the international community’s response to it as an opportunity.

This includes the probable growth of new industries and creation of high-paying jobs as a precursor to preparing the country for climate change’s disruptive effects on food and water supplies, as well as the physical environment.    

“In every danger, there is an opportunity,” said Yeo.

The climate change component is a new addition to the portfolio made by the Pakatan Harapan government to reflect the administration’s seriousness about tackling the issue.

Yeo had announced that a council of experts was being formed to look into the effects of climate change.   

One of the council’s tasks will be to explore opportunities for the country to tap into the market for low-carbon technologies and businesses, estimated at about US$5 trillion (RM20 trillion).

The market is expected to grow as countries retool their economies to emit less carbon as part of their pledges in the 2015 United Nations Paris agreement on global warming.

“Upon signing the cop21 Paris Agreement, many countries have ventured into the low-carbon business,” she told The Malaysian Insight recently.  

“Malaysia can get into this growing industry to commercialise its technology and create green jobs in the future.

“These are some of things the council will look into, in addition to the threat itself. It will also look into the likely impacts on weather, food security and coastlines.

“It has to determine what adaptive steps we have to take and how much we need to spend. Then comes the mitigation process and decision on how we, as a country, are going to cut emissions.

“We are a small emitter, so no matter what we do, we have a small carbon footprint, relatively speaking.

“But if we have the technology to reduce carbon or a process we can export to other countries, then we have a competitive advantage. The adaptation process it not just about saving us but it’s an opportunity for us to grow our businesses.”

She said that Malaysia was on track towards fulfilling its Paris Agreement pledges.

“I think we are moving towards that direction. We are at 20% currently and headed to 32% (emissions reduction).

“Now, there are three choices: business as usual, one that is aggressive and one that involves planning. We just have to keep track of the steps and come up with a monitoring system.”

Concerns had surfaced that Malaysia’s reliance on coal, a dirty fuel that makes up 51% of all fuel used in generating electricity, could scupper Malaysia’s Paris Agreement obligations.

“Not all coal power plants are polluting a lot. It depends on the process itself. There exists an ultra-supercritical process that reduces carbon emissions but we are not looking too deep into this.

“Instead, we are going to diversify our electricity generation from coal and gas to renewables and increase renewables from 2% of the fuel mix to 20% by 2025.”

She said the ministry would also continue with the previous administration’s biodiversity 2016-2025 plan to preserve the environment.  

“It’s 2018, so now we will be able to see progress and there will be an accountability system for the biodiversity division until 2025.

“It’s a good plan. How do we preserve our orang utan and the Malayan tiger? There are even plans for a large number of coral conservation areas that we want to gazette. 

“Implementing this plan well will result in a huge difference in terms of our biodiversity.

“I hope the ministry can create awareness on the need to preserve the environment, not only because we love it or because of some romantic notion but because we need to pass it down to the next generation.

“We also need to preserve the environment because it is an asset. If you have good coral, people will come here and pay to see it. 

“How much is clean air worth? You can’t buy clean air when you don’t have it. You cannot pay enough when you don’t have it.” – July 8, 2018.