We all live in a carbon-based economy. Virtually every aspect of our lives involves the use of carbon-based energy. Even while we sleep, our fans whirr and our air-conditioners and fridges hum; sure signs that we are using carbon-based fuels and emitting greenhouse gases (GHGs). With the exception of the small percentage of energy that is derived from renewable sources such as hydroelectric and biomass, for the most part, our energy is provided by carbon-based fossil fuels; that is, they represent carbon that was removed from the atmosphere millions of years ago by prehistoric plants and animals and stored far below ground as coal, oil and gas. It is our continued reliance on these fuels that is driving the ever increasing extraction of these carbon pools from below ground and enriching our atmosphere with carbon-based greenhouse gases, the very gases that have been associated with the climate change that we are already experiencing.

The summer of 2010 will be remembered as one of the most violent in climatic terms; with catastrophic flooding in Pakistan and China and droughts, coupled with record high temperature and fires in Russia. It is unsurprising therefore that each successive assessment report that has been released by the Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) has further reinforced the link between human activities and climate change. When viewed comprehensively, the historical emissions of the developed countries since the beginning of the industrial revolution, thus far accounting for three quarters of all human GHG emissions, are prominent and blatantly obvious. While economic growth is currently proceeding at breakneck speed in many developing countries, including Malaysia, thus far, the developing countries collectively still only account for a small proportion of the historical emissions of GHGs.

In an attempt to address the problem, in 1992, virtually all the countries of the world agreed to establish a framework convention known as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Under the Convention, all Parties agreed to report their national GHG inventories and mitigation measures in their respective National Communication; but in addition, acknowledging the historical emissions mentioned earlier, developed country Parties, also known as Annex I Parties, have a commitment to reduce emissions and transfer technology and financing to developing countries to assist them in mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects.

The emissions reduction commitment of the developed country Parties was formalised under the legally binding Kyoto Protocol (KP) which was signed and ratified by most developed countries, but significantly, not by the United States. Under the KP, Annex I Parties agreed to reduce their emissions by 5% relative to 1990 GHG emissions during the period between 2008 and 2012, the period known as the first commitment period (FCP) of the KP.

While some developed country Parties are making good progress in reducing emissions and are on track to achieve their emissions reduction targets, many are falling short and continuing to emit excessive GHGs. As such, it is unlikely that these countries will be able to meet their commitment at the end of 2012 and will therefore have to carry their emissions reduction shortfall into the second commitment period (CP2) post 2012.

As 2012 approaches, Parties to the KP have begun negotiations to revise the emissions reduction targets of the developed country Parties, both in aggregate as well as individually, for the period following 2012, the second commitment period. In doing so, it has become apparent that many developed country Parties, particularly those that will not be able to achieve their emissions reduction commitments under the FCP, are very unwilling to pledge deeper cuts in emissions for fear that they will be unable to achieve them. In a more worrisome development, many developed country Parties have proposed changes to the legally binding KP instrument together with completely new instruments, rules and modalities that deviate from the principles they agreed to under the Convention in 1992.

This was most clearly expressed in Copenhagen at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UNFCCC when a small group of parties led by the host country, Denmark, attempted to coerce the developing country Parties to accept and endorse a proposed legally binding document known as the Copenhagen Accord (CA). While the CA recognised the importance of keeping the increase in mean global temperatures below two degrees and contained substantial though insufficient financial pledges, it nevertheless remained unpalatable to most developing countries, both on the basis of procedure (the opaque and exclusive method by which it was drafted and foisted upon the Parties), as well as on the basis of its contents.

A primary weakness of the CA lies in the elimination of the legally-binding top-down aggregate emissions reduction target by the developed country Parties in favour of a bottom-up individual pledge approach. In stark contradiction, the emissions reduction pledges of the developed country Parties do not come close to the levels called for by the science to meet the two-degree limit in the previous paragraph. The unwritten implication was that the remainder of the emissions reduction required to achieve the two-degree limit would be undertaken by developing country Parties. In addition, the CA also placed burdensome reporting requirements on developing countries that even exceeded the current reporting requirements for developed country Parties.

For these reasons, the CA was not adopted, but merely taken note of by Parties and relegated to the status of a document outside the UNFCCC system. Nevertheless, the developed countries strongly encouraged developing country Parties to associate themselves with the document, if for no other reason, because of the significant funds pledged. Fearing that they would be otherwise ineligible to receive the funds pledged under the Accord, many developing country Parties associated with the CA, albeit with numerous conditions addressing all the shortfalls of the document.

Under the Convention, Developing Country Parties have agreed to take voluntary measures to reduce GHG emissions and to report these measures in their national communication to the UNFCCC. To this end, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, the Honourable Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced at COP 15 in Copenhagen that Malaysia would voluntarily reduce its GHG emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to 40% based on 2005 levels, by 2020, conditional on technology transfer and financial assistance by developed countries. Unfortunately this announcement by our Prime Minister is one of the most frequently misunderstood and misquoted statements, and is usually taken to mean that Malaysia intends to reduce its absolute emissions by 40%. On the contrary, this voluntary indicator that measures national GHG emissions as a function of GDP is not unlike the voluntary pledges already made by China and India and is aimed at decoupling levels of emissions from economic growth through the widespread implementation of energy efficiency measures, renewable energy measures, and low-carbon technologies and growth strategies.

As a follow up to this announcement, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is initiating a process to capture all voluntary measures being undertaken by the public, private corporations, as well as the various government agencies and non-governmental organisations, towards reducing GHG emissions and improving economic sustainability. The benefits of these so called ‘low hanging fruit’ can take the form of lower resource use and reduced costs, enhanced profitability, zero waste, and a more pleasant and healthier working environment.

The ministry hopes to publicise these achievements in an effort to build ‘carbon footprint’ awareness and mainstream the ‘low-carbon’ paradigm throughout all sectors of the country. In particular, the activities involving low-cost, low-tech solutions should be exhausted before moving on to the flashier high-tech and higher-cost solutions. These initial steps will begin preparing the nation for the more daunting, higher-cost emissions reduction challenges that are yet to come to ensure that Malaysia will remain both sustainable and competitive through 2020 and beyond.

Ministry Vision
To lead in the sustainable management of natural resources and conservation of the environment towards achieving the national vision.

Ministry Mission
To provide exceptional services in the management of natural resources and conservation of the environment in line with the national vision through:

• Integrated planning of activities and programmes by the departments and agencies.
• Optimisation of manpower utilisation, hi-end technologies and financial resources.
• Maximisation of natural resources development in order to support value added activities.
• Enhancement and reinforcement of research and development activities.
• Effective dissemination and sharing of technical input and database management.
• Effective cooperation among public, private and international sectors.
• Enhancement of expertise and knowledge through effective and systematic training modules.

Ministry Objectives

• To ensure the well-balanced management of natural resources and the environment in achieving sustainable development.
• To ensure an efficient and effective service delivery system for natural resources and environment management.
• To ensure efficient and effective implementation of development projects.
• To establish training and research and development (R&D) as an innovative exploration catalyst in natural resources management and environmental conservation.
• To ensure a clean, safe, healthy, productive and unpolluted environment.

Ministry Functions

• Legislate policy, laws, procedure and guidelines related to natural resources management and environmental conservation.
• Monitor, coordinate and assess the implementation of policy, laws, procedure, guidelines and services while performing continuous restoration on natural resources management and environmental conservation.
• Manage training programmes and develop human resources to produce a competent workforce and knowledgeable and informed members of society.
• Provide adequate infrastructure and tools to equip departments and agencies.
• Inspire research and development (R&D) efforts in natural resource management and environmental conservation to enhance value added natural development.
• Ascertain and maintain boundary issues to ensure national interests, sovereignty and security.
• Leading the establishment and management of national geospatial and aspatial information.
• Ensuring that natural resource planning and development are integrated with environmental conservation.
• Coordinate, supervise and enforce legislation governing natural resource management and environmental conservation.
• Act as the focal point for multi-lateral negotiations focusing on natural resources and environmental matters.
• Safeguarding national interests in regional and international negotiations regarding natural resources and environment.
• Enhancing public awareness and public support in identifying the importance of a well-balanced utilisation of natural resources and conservation of the environment.
• Establish smart partnerships among various authorities in managing natural resources and the environment.
• Ensure continuous improvement of the service delivery systems dedicated to managing natural resources and environment.