PETALING JAYA (June 5): The Prime Minister said today the country was on track to meet its pledge of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020.
 
Datuk Seri Najib Razak had made the pledge at the 2009 United Nations Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen, stating Malaysia's commitment to a 40% reduction in terms of greenhouse gas emissions intensity of GDP (gross domestic product) by the year 2020, compared to 2005 levels.
 
Knowing very well the risks of climate change and its effect on the people’s daily lives, Najib said it was a must for all to become part of the solution and Malaysia’s stance was clear.
 
United Nations data shows Malaysia’s carbon emissions in 2006 stood at 187 million tonnes, or 7.2 tonnes from each Malaysian.
 
Apart from bringing down greenhouse gas emissions, the country also has a target to ensure that 50% of Malaysia remains permanent forest, to protect our country’s outstanding biodiversity.
 
“This World Environment Day, I would like to renew my pledge for a greener Malaysia, a legacy I can be proud of leaving not only to my children, but to the people’s children as well,” he said in his blog today, adding that environmental protection was an issue close to his heart.
 
The entry was posted in conjunction with World Environment Day today.
 
Najib pointed out that Malaysia was already a major producer of clean energy products such as solar panels and efficient LED lighting, while the government increased funding this year for the Green Technology Financing Scheme by RM2 billion to incentivise the production and utilisation of green technology-based products.
 
The introduction of GreenTech Malaysia’s carbon footprint (CFP) labelling scheme, he said, will also soon empower consumers to make informed environmental decision about the goods and services they buy.
 
Meanwhile, food wastages have been pinpointed as one of the contributors of greenhouse gas emissions.
 
In an advertisement carried in some newspapers today, Natural Resources and Environment minister Datuk Seri G Palanivel said food wastages led to “huge amounts” of unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions.
 
“Food waste is probably one of the worst things for global warming,” he said, pointing out that Peninsular Malaysia alone generated an estimated 25,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste daily of which 48% were food waste.
 
The Environment Department director general Datuk Halimah Hassan, in the same advertisement, said reducing food waste would save money and minimise the environmental impact of food production.
 
“The World Environment Day theme ‘Think.Eat.Save’ echoes an urgent call for us to reduce our foodprint,” she said.