Thursday 6 June 2013

Najib commits to “50% permanent forests”


KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has renewed his pledge for a greener Malaysia and wants to see at least 50% of the country’s permanent forests remain.

Najib said Malaysia’s stand on environmental protection and preservation was clear.

“Firstly, we have a target to ensure that 50 per cent of Malaysia remains permanent forest to protect our country’s outstanding biodiversity.

“Secondly, we’ve pledged a 40 per cent cut in our emissions intensity by 2020 from 2005 levels, to ensure our economic growth is compatible with a stable climate, and we are on track to meet our goal,” he said in his blog in conjunction with World Environment Day yesterday.

He said Malaysia was on track with its efforts.

“Already Malaysia is a major producer of clean energy products such as solar panels and efficient LED lighting.

“This year, we increased funding for the Green Technology Financing Scheme by RM2 billion to incentivise the production and utilisation of green technology-based products.

“Moreover, with the introduction of GreenTech Malaysia’s carbon footprint labelling scheme, consumers will soon be empowered to make informed environmental decisions about the goods and services they buy,” Najib said.

Najib added that the risks of climate change were well known, to include hotter days, changing rainfalls and rising oceans.

“These changes will result in competition for new resources, territorial change and disruption to trade patterns, all of which have the potential to cause conflict between nations, “ he said.

He said global warming was already a major security threat.

“(As such) how we protect our planet will affect not just us, but our children and grandchildren too. We must ensure we bequeath them a world worth inheriting.

“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.

(Source: Free Malaysia Today)

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