As COP23 comes to a close, the high-level segment is a segment given by government officials to announce their respective countries pledge. The high-level segment of United Nations Climate Change Conference was attended by Heads of State and Government and other dignitaries and was inaugurated in the afternoon of Wednesday, 15 November 2017. National Statements from Parties were concluded on Thursday, 16 November 2017.  

I would like to share the High-level segment statements from Malaysia given by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment YB Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who took to the stage and announced Malaysia’s pledge in fighting against climate change (picture below). He announced that Malaysia is on track to achieving its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2030, which was to reduce the Greenhouse Gas equivalence intensity by GDP as much as 45% percent (35% conditional, 10% foreign aid) based on the emissions by GDP of 2005. He then mentions the efforts Malaysia have done, was to ensure that we are on track such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project, that would reduce as much as 62-89 million cars on the road by 2030, the preservation of 50% forest cover in Malaysia through the Central Forest Spine project and the Heart of Borneo project.

The Minister also mentions that Malaysia has received approval from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) up to $500 million for REDD+ Results Based Payments (RBP) that will be of great financial aid in reducing national GHG emissions. Our country has updated the National REDD+ Strategy reducing emissions by 15 – 25 Million Tonnes Carbon Dioxide equivalent (MtCO2eq) per year, and is now the third country in the world fulfilling the REDD+ requirements of the UNFCCC.

The Minister said: “At this COP, we remain fully committed to negotiating in good faith and in the constructive spirit of the Paris Agreement towards finalizing the Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines needed to comprehensively and effectively implement the Paris Agreement and in so doing, enhance the full, effective and sustained implementation of the UN Convention on Climate Change.”

Counties in its entirety have reinstated that they are committed to the Paris Agreement and have taken action to combat climate change to achieve the said target of below 2 degrees celsius. This was also the time that countries urge Parties on issues that have not been resolved and is especially concerning to the countries. Small island nations like Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga, have urged genuine global cooperation between the developed and developing countries in the implementation of the PA . On top of that, they have urged COP to address the implementation of Loss and Damage according to the Warsaw Implementation Mechanism (WIM) and better transparency in Climate Finance.

Malaysia is considered a fortunate country as we are a nation that has the resources to overcome the effects of climate change. But that is coming to an end as our country have been experiencing greater and greater effects of climate change such as floods, crop failure and high temperature anomalies. It is time we as the people of Malaysia work in parallel with the government to help fight against climate. Small actions such as recycling, consuming less meat, planting trees and etc will contribute a big change as a nation. Malaysia Boleh!

Read Full Speech Here

Written by Azam

Edited by Varun