“THE time for talking is over, the world needs to act now”, these were the powerful words from Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi at the United Nations Climate Action Summit that took off in New York recently.
He is a leader not known to mince words and he is not far from truth when he said what we are doing now isn’t enough. Calling on global behavioural change, he urged world leaders to act immediately to protect the environment.
Saving the world from the ill-effects of environmental degradation is often misunderstood to be the sole responsibility of the government and its agencies. Each of us can make a difference by adopting environment-friendly lifestyles and together the changes can have positive consequences. If we consciously decide to do away with single-use plastic bags and stop asking for plastic straws, for example, we will be directly contributing towards the climate change cause.
Modi walks the talk, as he spoke, India gifted solar panels for energy efficiency to be installed on the roof of the United Nations building which was inaugurated during the assembly. As he spoke, many states in India were already rigidly enforcing action against single-use plastic bags.
I am a witness to this where in Tamil Nadu, not a single shop stores plastic bags and if you go unprepared, it is entirely up to your ingenuity on how you will carry your purchases.
However, reusable bags, mostly woven bags will be made available at affordable prices. These bags are from small village entrepreneurs who engage in cottage industry for their personal upliftment.
Modi lives by example and that is his strength, his strategic messages and action plans reach far and wide across the globe.
It was reported that the “Howdy, Modi” session in Houston attracted over 50,000 diasporic Indians. Such a massive turnout is not usual in the United States and knowing it would work to his favour, US President Donald Trump shared the stage with some brief moments stolen to push his own agenda.
Trump fielded his schema on the need for border protection and security which was received with what sounded like a wail rather than applause and we know his intent which can only be specious.
At the UN Assembly, Modi’s apparent conviction to addressing climate change represented him as a climate champion while his US counterpart paled in comparison with his contentious action of having distanced himself from the Paris Agreement years ago.
The Paris Agreement was put together in December 2015 after years of negotiations. A total of 195 countries made a new commitment to work together to address global climate change.
It is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020.
Trump’s withdrawal also included the cancellation of all US contributions to the Green Climate Fund, which Trump said was “costing the US a vast fortune” was highly criticised by environmental groups and the people at large.
If we remember, the aim of the agreement was to limit global temperature rise to 2°Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100.
This level is considered a crucial tipping point, above which there will be serious consequences for global food production and more frequent and dangerous climate events, such as flooding and drought.
To achieve this, global greenhouse gas emissions will need to be cut by an estimated 40-70% by 2050, and by 2100 the planet must be carbon-neutral.
Under the Paris accord, each country was to submit its own plan to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and address the impact of climate change. The agreement as a whole is not legally binding and does not penalise nations that fail to meet their commitments.
Malaysia ratified the Paris Agreement with a pledge for a 45% reduction in its greenhouse emissions by 2030, and cut 32 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2020.
Well, we are at just a hop close to 2020 and are the new leaders inspired to monitor the deliverables?
Climate change cannot be addressed by mere talk and pledges, they have to be translated into action plans and adaptions from budgeting to technology and capacity building and mitigation.
Climate change effects and consequences must be made tangible and observable so that we are moved and we connect the issues to ourselves, now and the future.
Did we know that one sixth of the world’s population still goes to bed hungry and one billion people lack the essential micronutrients they need to lead healthy lives due to climatic stresses on Earth?
Did we also know that millions of productive life years are lost due to premature death, disease and disabilities caused by malnutrition, placing huge burden not only on individuals and families but also the nation’s health system?
Efforts to cope with the impact of climate change and attempts to promote sustainable development share common goals and determinants including access to resources.
It is said that the food and agriculture sector provide livelihoods for 40% of the world’s population and 75% of the poor people are found in the rural areas and many are directly dependent on agriculture for their sustenance.
The challenge for nations is to feed the growing population without infringing on the rights of the planets to mutually exist.
The common issues plaguing countries’ commitment towards addressing climate change are lack of acceptable and commonly understood working definition of sustainability, lack of effective implementation and difficulty of integration and enforcement.
We know climate change impedes sustainable development which in turn will have major consequences to our lives and livelihood.
Hence, let’s be responsible in every bit we do as individuals and as a community.
Good Luck, Malaysia Baru !
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
