Sunday November 19, 2006
Malaysia gets dismal ratings
BY ROYCE CHEAH AND ELIZABETH LOOI
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has been ranked second last among 56 industrialised and rapidly industrialising countries in the 2007 Climate Change Performance Index that monitors efforts taken to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
United States, the world’s largest contributor of greenhouse gases ranked 53, followed by China, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Indonesia was ranked 43 while Singapore was 28.
In responding to the report, the Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said the Government was doing its best but laws that were at odds with one another and environmental guidelines that lacked bite made it tough to reduce pollution in the country.
The index ranked 56 industrialised and rapidly industrialising countries that together produced 90% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
The index evaluated how much countries were doing to protect against climate change.
Azmi said the state of current legislations made it difficult to protect some 60% of forest cover that remained in the country.
“When states decide to sell off land, there will be development which then implies pollution,” he said, adding that the Federal Government has no jurisdiction over state land.
Azmi said his ministry could only regulate chemical waste while local governments were in charge of other types of waste.
However, Azmi said he was not concerned about how the index, drawn up by the environmental group Germanwatch, ranked Malaysia.
“We are doing our best. We have also signed 20 international treaties and are committed to reducing carbon dioxide.”
However, Azmi said the Government could not work alone in checking the problem.
“We are slowly moving towards a greener environment, but we need the help of the public to do that. For instance, we encourage the use of biodiesel, which reduces greenhouse gases and we encourage car makers to use green engines.”
Azmi said Malaysia was ranked lower than Indonesia because the country was more industrialised.
In a press release on Monday, Germanwatch said the results clearly showed current efforts to stop dangerous climate change were insufficient.
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