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ENVIRONMENT
@ Forest | May-June , 2022
Mobilising youth
The Regent of Pahang urges every individual to take part in combating climate change
BY FATIHAH MANAF
SCIENTISTS HAVE estimated the age of the Earth to be over 4.54 billion years old , plus or minus about 50 million years . Despite its old age , the Earth continuously provides enormous natural resources for living beings to stay alive . However , the condition of the Earth has deteriorated over time due to human activities . It now faces many challenges , such as global warming and climate change .
As one of the efforts to promote and encourage worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment , Earth Day has been celebrated on Apr 22 since 1970 . It aims to diversify , educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide .
In conjunction with the Earth Day 2022 ’ s celebration , Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah , Regent of Pahang , delivered a statement emphasising the need for a significant transformational change in the world .
According to Tengku Hassanal , even though global environmental awareness and concern have risen dramatically over the past five decades , human activities have continued to destroy the “ web of life ”, which humans depend on for water , food , air and more .
“ Based on United Nations ’ assessment in 2019 , about 60 per cent of nature ’ s ecosystem services are visibly degrading , which means one million species of flora and fauna are under threat of extinction by 2050 ,” he shared .
Setting out new ambitious plans
Tengku Hassanal said most of his generation was yet to be born when member States signed a legally-binding treaty , the UN Convention on Biological Diversity , almost unanimously at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro . Its main objectives included biodiversity
Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah conservation , the sustainable use of its components , and access to and benefitsharing of genetic resources .
There were many attempts to address biodiversity loss through decadal frameworks for action and targets , and the latest one was the Aichi Biodiversity Targets ( 2011-2020 ).
“ While some individual countries accomplished one or more of the 20 targets , none were fully met by the world as a whole by the 2020 deadline .”
This year , the international community is considering another set of decadal goals in a new UN global biodiversity framework . The draft outlines an ambitious plan of broadbased actions to transform society ’ s relationship with nature . International negotiation of the goals and targets will continue in Nairobi in June , with plans for their final adoption in Kunming , China , in late summer .
“ Tanzanian Elizabeth Maruma Mrema , who heads the UN convention managing the negotiations , said 18 months ago that humanity is at a crossroads that would decide how future generations experience the natural world ,” shared Tengku Hassanal .
He then quoted Mrema : “ Earth ’ s living systems as a whole are being compromised . And the more humanity exploits nature in unsustainable ways and undermines its contributions to people , the more we undermine our wellbeing , security and prosperity .”
Severe impacts of climate change
Meanwhile , this year ’ s latest assessment from the UN ’ s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) reaffirmed that climate change has already caused more frequent and severe storms , floods , droughts , wildfires , and other extreme weather occurrences .
“ Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise . And the current commitments to address climate change are far below what ’ s needed to limit global warming to 1.5 ° C above pre-industrial levels ; the threshold scientists deem necessary to avoid more catastrophic impacts .
“ Particularly troubling is that the world ’ s wealthiest countries are responsible for disproportionately more emissions than developing countries , which experience the most severe impacts ,” he highlighted .
Tengku Hassanal then shared his experience witnessing the devastating impacts of the December 2021 floods in his home state , Pahang , including the loss of lives , properties and livestock .
“ At least 125,000 people were displaced , and 54 lives were lost – one of the nation ’ s deadliest natural catastrophes . And an estimated RM20 billion in economic losses were incurred , including around RM1.4 billion in damage to infrastructure nationwide .
“ When it comes to biodiversity loss , climate change and land degradation , immediate actions at every level and long-term strategic planning must be seriously considered by all of us .
“ No one is a bystander . Each one of us has a responsibility . We need a transformational change of mindset , making care for nature a core value of every action of our daily life .”
Youth at the forefront
Tengku Hassanal said the ongoing epidemic of Covid-19 – a virus passed from wild species to humans – was a stark reminder of the consequences when the balance of nature is disturbed . He said the Covid-19 socio-economic recovery efforts would be incomplete if people failed to prioritise planetary health .
“ As recently expressed by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres , speaking about the planet ’ s wellbeing : “ The hopes of the world rest on young people .”
“ This is a heavy responsibility we have no choice but to accept . It is vital to reset the planet ’ s trajectory to a better future immediately . Governments , businesses , financial institutions , civil society and citizens must step up to reverse the loss of nature and the aberration of climate change .”
He then invited and urged today ’ s young generation to join him in championing the environment and taking responsibility for their actions .
“ Collectively , we can drive change and take control of our future .” — @ Forest