Severe floods are a further sign of climate change
Wwf-malaysia is deeply saddened by the loss of lives and properties from the recent severe floods and landslides throughout Peninsular Malaysia. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, homes, their security and livelihoods. At this point in time, our priority should be the health, safety and well-being of all those affected by the floods.
Nonetheless, the current situation also underlines the need for urgent action to rebalance our relationship with nature.
The occurrence of torrential rains over the past week should not be a surprise. Even though rainy days are normal during the annual monsoon season, the Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued warnings since mid-december of heavy and continuous rainfall. This extreme weather condition is, in fact, one of the results of global warming caused by the rising carbon emissions from human activities.
Our nation faces significant climate risks in the long term, with low-lying coastlines becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels.
Extreme weather patterns are also threatening basic necessities like our water and food security, public health as well as resources that support our economy, including the infrastructure we have invested into.
To combat the impacts of climate change and global warming, we need a combined and comprehensive approach. Firstly, we need to build climate resilience by adapting to the inevitable impact of climate change and, secondly, through climate mitigation to reduce carbon emissions, resulting in net zero emissions.
The first key measure to address these two approaches is by phasing out coal from power generation. This is crucial, hence it is encouraging to see that Malaysia has recently taken a “no coal” position.
To reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, we must emphasise green investments such as renewable energy, public transport, low carbon mobility and energy efficiency. We need to support the transition to a low carbon economy in the manufacturing and transport sectors. Given the falling technology costs in renewable energy sources, we can gain benefits through embracing solar and battery storage technologies while driving a green economy agenda.
Nature-based solutions must be prioritised. We should leverage the country’s rich natural capital, which provides us with a vital opportunity to protect our environment and reduce our carbon footprint while creating a competitive advantage. We need to protect our natural forests as a carbon sink to capture emissions, and undertake forest restoration to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Retaining at least 50% of our land mass is crucial in keeping our forests intact to capture emissions, and we should strive to keep this carbon asset for domestic use to make our economy more competitive and generate multiplier effects. One example of this multiplier effect is that these forests also act as a sponge, storing rainwater and reducing the impact of flash floods.
Given the close link between the environment and human health, livelihoods, water and food security, it has never been more urgent that environmental protection, conservation and sustainable management are mainstreamed at all levels. The evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning, deforestation, and other human activities are suffocating our planet and putting the lives of billions of people at immediate risk.
Restoring our planet’s health requires all of our efforts, from the government to the private sector and the public as a whole. We must act now to ensure a rapid transition towards a low carbon economy. Together, we can prevent the coming disasters of climate change, nature loss and environmental destruction.