KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has been urged to call out the hypocrisy of developed countries that have expanded fossil fuel exploitation and use, while also demanding that developing countries phase out fossil fuels, during the upcoming 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai on Friday.
Speaking at the Climate Reporting Webinar for COP28, today, Third World Network executive director and lawyer Chee Yoke Ling said the suggestion comes as developed countries themselves have been exploiting fossil fuels since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
“The US (United States), Japan, and the EU (European Union) have expanded fossil fuel exploitation and use, and yet they come to the COP meetings every year and say that they are the ‘good guys’, and that developing countries must phase out fossil fuels.
“So, we hope that the government will be honest if we want to have global cooperation,” she said during the press conference organised by Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN).
She also opined that the government should take the position that environmental action should not be used as a ‘greenwash’ (an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly) for trade competition.
“We would like Malaysia to be aware of ‘false’ solutions and to review (certain important decisions at the national level in) the Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy, Energy Efficiency, and Conservation Act passed by Parliament and the National Energy Transition Roadmap.
“Our actions include carbon capture and storage which Petronas has already started a pilot (small-scale preliminary study), nuclear energy option which has had a lot of debate about it growing, and of course, natural gas as a dominant component in the energy mix which is still a fossil fuel.
“We are opening up to carbon offsets and trading under the ‘net-zero’ approach,” she said.
She added that the country’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution includes an unconditional 45% carbon intensity reduction and a target increase of 10% from the earlier submission.
“Greenhouse gasses (GHG) coverage have also expanded to seven other elements, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbon, sulphur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride.”
In line with COP28, Malaysia reportedly intends to reduce its economy-wide carbon intensity (against its GDP) by 45% in 2030 compared to 2005’s level.
Among the government’s efforts cited via its Annex involves management of water resources and security, protection of coastal resources, securing agriculture and food security, and increasing resilience for infrastructure and cities.
Other efforts include improving public health resilience, enhancing adaptation of forestry and biodiversity as well as cross-sectoral efforts (managing disaster risk, climate financing support, technology transfer & capacity building, establishment of monitoring & evaluation mechanism).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to lead a delegation to the World Climate Action Summit in December, to be held alongside COP28 in Dubai on Friday.
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who will be part of the delegation, had reportedly said Malaysia will focus on energy transition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at the COP28.
The country will also be focusing on its preparation to execute matters relating to carbon markets, climate financing, biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation, he added.
According to the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), an agency under NRECC, Malaysia is expected to host a strong Malaysian delegation comprising more than 200 delegates, including ministers, government officers, subject matter experts, private sector representatives, and other relevant organisations.
Malaysia will also have a presence through a dedicated Malaysia Pavilion, which will showcase Malaysia’s thought leadership and proposition to about 40,000 delegates expected to attend the global conference, it said in a statement. – November 27, 2023