MRT to reduce 34,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year

KUALA LUMPUR: The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) which began operations last December is expected to reduce 34,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the ministry aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 300,000 tonnes by 2030.
It is a mitigation measure that can help the country achieves its target in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
"The MRT operations, in addition to reducing air pollution especially in the city of Kuala Lumpur, is also beneficial from an economic point because the price is cheaper than using one's own vehicle or a taxi.
"Indirectly, the quality of life in Kuala Lumpur is more safe and improved," he told a press conference during a working visit to review the MRT project, here today.
Moreover, Wan Junaidi said the presence of the MRT could also reduce the number of vehicles on the road, especially on the roads from Sungai Buloh to Kuala Lumpur and also from Kajang to the federal capital.
Earlier, Wan Junaidi, accompanied by Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd's chief executive officer Datuk Zohari Sulaiman, was on a working visit to Tun Razak Exchange, Merdeka, and Kwasa Damansara stations here.
The MRT project covers an area of 51km connecting Sungai Buloh to Kajang which transcends 31 stations, including seven underground stations and is integrated with the Light Rail Transit (LRT), Monorail and KTM Komuter services.
The first phase involves the 21km Sungai Buloh-Semantan route while the second phase for the Semantan-Kajang 30km route involves 19 stations through the densely populated areas of Kajang and Cheras.
Meanwhile, he said his ministry assured there would be no haze pollution due to open burning from neighbouring countries, especially Indonesia.
"The Indonesian government is currently using the satellite system to monitor and locate any open burning incidents in the country and to extinguish fires quickly. — Bernama