A group photo with Dr Ong Kian Ming after he shared his valuable insights and knowledge to MYD 2016. Now we are definitely geared up for COP22!
Title: MYD 2016: Viability of Malaysia’s Commitment Towards COP21
Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD 2016): Youths who are currently working their way to COP22 in Morocco in November. This is our Training Series focusing on climate policy.
Below is the experience shared by one of our MYD delegates, Nalina Santhiran, as well as a recorded video of the training series conducted by Dr Ong Kian Ming.
MYD 2016 was fortunate to host Dr Ong Kian Ming in an exclusive sharing session recently. As our second trainer under our Training Series, Dr Ong shared with us his particular insight on environmental policies specifically in Malaysia. Apart from that Dr Ong is also an academician, political analyst as well as the MP of the Serdang Constituency.
The session which was held at the Nottingham Training Centre (KLTC) commenced with the MYD delegation sharing their aspirations and the experience they would like to gain out of COP 22 later this year. We were taken on a hands-on journey in decrypting the current state of environmental policies in Malaysia from their inception to their execution. The disparities between them were also highlighted as well as methods to harmonise them.
Among the topics which were highlighted include waste management, efficient transportation, renewable energy as well as transparency in combatting climate change. We were even provided with a perspective on the works of a sanitary landfill by one of our very own MYD colleagues as well. It was indeed an eye-opening experience for it shows the potential that Malaysia stands in utilising its current resources in combatting climate change.
I found the concept of the feed-in tariff which allows individuals, schools and religious institutions to apply for licenses in order to generate renewable energy on their own property as well as being able to sell the excess energy back into the grid very interesting. This gives a chance to ordinary citizens to be more conscious of their roles in climate change initiatives and policies. The concepts of grid parity and net-metering and how it could transpire in the future were also discussed.
Furthermore, light was also shed on Malaysia’s unique position at the COP 22. The role we would play in the execution of our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) following COP 21 and the Paris Agreement.
Dr Ong also mentioned that it was time for the Energy Commission of Malaysia, which determines the energy policies of Malaysia, as well as the Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA), a statutory body which has the oversight of all environmental regulations, to reconcile and align their objectives.
At the end of the session, Dr Ong expressed his best wishes and reminded us to use our varied backgrounds to our advantage for members of the MYD 2016 comprise of people from the legal and economic backgrounds to environmental consultants and scientists. Indeed, climate change as what we have learnt is best tackled through a collective effort. Through this training series, MYD has been able to build our capacity on national policies as well gain a truly personal insight on the works of tackling climate change in Malaysia.
Title: MYD 2016: Climate Science and its Relation to Policy and the Paris Agreement
Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD 2016): Youths who are currently working their way to COP22 in Morocco in November. This is our Training Series focusing on climate policy.
Our 3rd Training Series focuses on Policy and the Paris Agreement. It will be conducted by Dr Matthew Ashfold of the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. Dr Ashfold has a PhD from the University of Cambridge and his research area is on atmospheric science focusing on Southeast Asia.
No payment is required for participation. However, it is limited to 20 people only. Thus, please RSVP in the google form provided HERE! Have a look at our event page on Facebook as well! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to meet like-minded youths and individuals at the forefront of climate change mitigation! 🙂
#MYD Training Series – Training on UNFCCC negotiations and media work with various climate experts, government bodies and civil society leaders, from July until Nov 2016. Each sessions will run for 2 hours and may be broadcast live on Google Hangout. Hangout will be available on YouTube for future reference. http://powershiftmalaysia.org.my/myd-training-series/
#MYD – Malaysian Youth Delegation – Malaysian youth climate movement at international United Nations climate conferences, UNFCCC, participants will be mentored and hold engagements with various climate expert bodies and dialogue with Malaysian policy makers and negotiators. http://powershiftmalaysia.org.my/category/myd2016/myd-events/
NGOs who took part in Global Divestment Day. Image was taken from: http://newsroom.unfccc.int/unfccc-newsroom/13-14-february-is-global-divestment-day/
One of the biggest hurdles in combatting climate change is to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and other pollutants. However, there are individuals who still stand to profit from the industry. The only way to fix that is when the industry is no longer profitable or the business is no longer operational. A way to lead to that is by way divestment.
What is divestment?
Divestment is the opposite of investment. It is where you take out your money, in the form of stocks or bonds from a company so that you cease control or stop getting profit from it. Corporations are beholden to the wish of their shareholders. Thus, if there no longer any interest to pursue the business, operations can calm to a halt or at least, have less capital to operate.
Where has divestment been used effectively?
South Africa
The apartheid regime was a dark part of South Africa’s history. It was a system where black and white citizens could not mix with only the white population receiving quality infrastructure and amnesties. Its impact on income inequality and racism can be felt even today.
At its peak, a majority of the world’s nations has imposed sanctions and divested from the country. Companies were supposed to invest in the country pulled out, amid pressures from nation states. The divestment was done in support of the growing anti-apartheid movement, led by notable leaders like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. It was the non-violent alternative to Mandela’s violent tactics that landed him in jail prior.
Recently, Desmond Tutu visited the University of California, Los Angeles to thank the university for pulling out investments from the country, which led other organisations to do the same. The regime then caved in from the economic incentive.
2. Israel
In opposition to the Zionist regime and the apartheid-like treatment done by the Israeli government on the people of Palestine, sympathisers ran the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement. The movement was a non-violent alternative to boycotting products from the state of Israel to deprive them of revenue. Even if the impact is questionable, at least they know their money wouldn’t land in the hands of the Israeli military.
While economically, Israel still stands strong, the movement has gained traction in the European Union. This has led them to ban items from Israeli-occupied lands that were exported as Israeli goods. Due to this, multiple companies have decided not to invest or at least pulled out their money from companies based in the occupied territories.
How does this apply to the fossil fuel industry?
Desmond Tutu has called for the same tactics used in South Africa to be used in the fossil fuel industry. He urged companies to pull out the biggest industry players, making them unable to expand operations and stuck with their current situation. It is only when they decide to move on to other sources of energy than the world’s richest should be able to invest in them, without guilt.
Written by: Terence Aaron Anthony
Edited by: Choy Moon Moon
Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts was first discussed and initiated at the COP16 held in Cancun in 2010, as part of the Cancun Adaptation Framework. This issue which specifically focus on the context of developing countries are more vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events were then formally addressed by the establishment of Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts at the COP19. The initial objective of the mechanism is to promote the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage in a comprehensive, integrated and coherent manner. (Decision 2/CP 19)
Loss and damage of vulnerable cities due to climate change. Image was taken from: Millennium Post http://www.millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=199956
The main functions of the mechanism include enhancing knowledge and understanding of comprehensive risk management, strengthening dialogue and coordination among relevant stakeholders, enhancing actions and support through the means of finance, technology and capacity-building to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change.
The administration of the mechanism has been placed under the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. A total of 20 members, 10 each respectively from Annex I Parties and non-Annex I Parties forms the committee, governed by an agreement made at the COP20.
The Executive Committee wasted no time working on the initial two-year work plan that encompasses the following action area:
Action Area 1: Enhance understanding of factors based on geography, socioeconomic status and livelihoods etc.
Action Area 2: Enhance the understanding of comprehensive risk management approaches
Action Area 3: Enhance knowledge of risks of slow onset events and their impacts
Action Area 4: Enhance data on non-economic losses
Action Area 5: Enhance the understanding of the capacity and coordination needs with regard to responding to loss and damage
Action Area 6: Enhance the understanding and expertise of impacts of climate change
Action Area 7: Encourage comprehensive risk management by the diffusion of information related to financial instruments and tools that address the risks
Action Area 8: Complement, draw upon the work of the involve
Action Area 9: Develop a five-year rolling work plan for consideration at the COP22
At the COP21, Loss and Damage is defined as a stand-alone issue rather than being a subcategory under Adaptation, largely due to the reality that there are significant impacts from climate change that could not possibly be adapted. It is also clearly stated in Paris Agreement that Warsaw International Mechanism of Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts has been decided to be extended from being expired in 2016. The decision has been widely recognised as a necessary move which explicitly differentiate adaptation to climate change and contending with the associated losses and damages.
Following the decision coined at the COP21, the latest list of nominated committee members was updated on 24 May 2016. The Executive Committee has thus put on high hope continue its effort in averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage issues associated with climate change adaptations.
Written by: Diong Siong Loong (Kelvin)
Edited by: Choy Moon Moon
Technology transfer is, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) a broad set of processes covering the flows of know-how, experience and equipment for mitigating and adapting to climate change among different stakeholders such as governments, private sector entities, financial institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and research/education institutions.
Its framework was established at COP 7, as part of the Marrakesh Accords for meaningful and effective actions to enhance the implementation of Article 4.5 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC. Article 4.5 requires developed countries to “take all practicable steps to promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, the transfer of, or access to environmentally sound technologies and know-how to other Parties, particularly developing country parties to enable them to implement the provisions of the Convention.”)
The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) was formed to minimise the costs and risks for the transfer of climate change mitigation technology to the developing countries. Image was taken from: http://inhabitat.com/
The rationale was that the design and spread of more energy-efficient technologies that reduce or eliminate climate change inducing emissions is a recognised solution to climate change. This is because the international community must keep the average global temperature rise to below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels to mitigate the most severe impacts of global warming. Thus, the growth in global greenhouse gas emissions must be stopped by 2020 at the latest for a start.
At the COP13 in Bali, four sub-themes were added to the framework as part of the mechanisms for technology transfer theme.
The first is Innovative financing, that aims to improve financial access for the development and transfer of technology from a wide variety of sources, public and private.
Secondly, identifying ways and means to enhance international cooperation with relevant conventions and intergovernmental processes involved in the development and transfer of technology.
Thirdly, identifying actions to promote the endogenous development of technology through the provision of financial resources and joint research and development.
Finally, promoting collaborative research and development on technologies.
There is a particular focus on encompassing developing countries in this endeavour because it is predicted that by 2020, nearly two-thirds of the world’s emissions will be produced from them. Thus, climate technologies are directed to ensure accessibility in all parts of the world. After all, falling emissions in Europe but escalating emissions would have a counter-intuitive effect on the goal of maintaining the average global temperature. The European Union for its part has kept this mind, particularly in regards to programmes such as the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre in Kenya. It was aimed to promote home-grown green technologies throughout the East African region. It offers support to climate-focused technology ventures to boost agricultural productivity and agro-processing, to which the governments of the UK and Denmark are partners in this World Bank initiative. Other initiatives include the Renewable Energy and Adapting to Climate Technologies Window (REACT) in Africa and Vocational Training Centre for Renewable Energies and Industrial Maintenance in Cape Verde.
These tend to be economically beneficial to the private sector as well, but whether they are sufficient to leap in progress as is required given the race against time is left to be seen. However, the march against climate change continues.
Written by: Nachatira Thuraichamy
Edited by: Choy Moon Moon
