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Malaysia needs to act to ratify Kyoto Protocol amendment

  • Publication Date | November 2, 2016
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Climate Change
  • Issues | International Treaties
  • Tags | Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, UNFCCC
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I refer to the article in The Star (26 October 2016) ‘Junaidi: We need to focus on Paris Agreement’.

The Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was responding in Parliament to a question posed as to when Malaysia would ratify the 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement on climate change, and to what extent this has been discussed and agreed by the Cabinet.

The Minister’s response as reported in The Star was that more countries are focusing on the Paris Agreement and lack interest in the Kyoto Protocol;that the Kyoto Protocol overlaps with the Paris Agreement, and the Kyoto Protocol will be phased out eventually when the Paris Agreement comes into force in 2020.

In addition, a viewing of the actual Parliamentary session reveals that the Minister also said that the Kyoto Protocol is not binding on developed nations and proceeded to name a number of developed countries that have either not ratified or have withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol, or have not ratified its 2nd commitment period.

We wish to point out the Minister’s response is not correct for the following reasons:

The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement are distinct legal treaties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and fulfil different but complementary functions. None of them will expire legally.

The Kyoto Protocol’s 2nd commitment period runs from 2013-2020 and amendments were made at the 8th Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP8) in Doha, Qatar, in 2012 to the Protocol to incorporate the emissions reductions required for this period by developed countries who are Parties to the Protocol.

Developing countries have to also ratify the amendments but they do not have obligations for emissions reductions under the Protocol.

Parties agreed that the aggregate emission cuts under the 2nd commitment period would be 18 per cent below 1990 levels.

They also agreed that developed countries will review their emission reduction commitments by the end of 2014 with a view to increasing the ambition level of cuts. However, developed countries have refused to review their emission targets.

To give effect to the Doha amendment, and for the 2nd commitment period to come into effect, a total of 144 countries have to ratify it, including developing countries.

Thus far, only 71 countries have ratified the Doha amendment.

The Paris Agreement on the otherhand, which is a later treaty, which was only concluded last yearwill enter into force in November this year, and it deals with countries’ emission reductions for the period after 2020. It requires all Parties, including developing countries to undertake emissions reduction contributions.

This means that the only legally binding international agreement on emission reductions from now until 2020 is the Kyoto Protocol’s 2nd commitment period, which places binding emission reduction commitments on developed countries.

Given its importance, 7 out of 10 Asean countries have already ratified the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol. The only Asean countries that have not done so are Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia.

Developing countries, including Malaysia, fought long and hard in the UN negotiations to continue the Kyoto Protocol, to ensure that there would be commitments in the pre-2020 period by agreeing to its 2nd commitment period, and to ensure that the Paris Agreement would not replace the Kyoto Protocol, or indeed the UNFCCC.

The Kyoto Protocol’s 2nd commitment period still has some way to go before sufficient ratifications bring it into force.

It is incumbent on Malaysia to play its part in this global effort, and to contribute alongside other developing nations. Climate change is very serious and urgent steps must be taken now – we cannot wait until 2020 for emission reductions to take place.

Hence, we urge the Minister to give importance to the Kyoto Protocol so that Malaysia will ratify urgently the Doha amendment and not let developed countries get off the hook.

S M Mohamed Idris

President

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Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
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Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
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My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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