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Need to get facts straight about Paris Agreement

  • Publication Date | September 21, 2021
  • Document Type | Letter to the Editor
  • Programmes | Climate Change
  • Issues | Adaptation, Biodiversity, Conservation, Mitigation
  • Tags | carbon emissions, carbon offsets, COP26, Paris Agreement, UNFCCC
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At a public webinar held on climate change in conjunction with Malaysia Day on 16 September 2021 hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA), a lot of good information on climate change that Malaysians needed to know was provided. Leading the panel of speakers was the Secretary-General (SG) of the Ministry, Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang. 

While most of the information presented were valuable, what was worrying were some glaring errors about the fundamentals of the Paris Agreement (PA).

It was conveyed that the PA has a carbon budget allocated to every country, and each country has to make a declaration, and that since Malaysia is a non-Annex 1 country (of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), we are not given the budget as we are considered small, and therefore, not much carbon is allocated.

This is inaccurate and in fact contrary to the design of the PA. The PA does not allocate a carbon budget to every country. Instead, all countries are only required to undertake and communicate a nationally determined contribution (NDC), as a global response to climate change with a view to achieving the purpose of the PA, including holding the global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit increase to 1.5° C. This essentially means that countries are at liberty to declare what they deem feasible.  This is called the bottom-up approach, while the idea of a budget being dictated as was stated in the webinar is a top-down approach.

In the run up to negotiations that led to the PA, there were proposals by some key developing countries for the adoption of an ‘equitable access to atmospheric space approach’, taking into account the historical and current emissions of every country in a cumulative manner, including on a per capita basis.  

Such proposals for a fair and equitable allocation of the remaining carbon space did not see the light of day in the negotiations, due to opposition from the developed world, particularly from the United States, that insisted that there can be no top-down dictation from the multilateral process of how much cuts in emissions a country must do. The developed world was very opposed to taking stock of their historical emissions, as this would mean they would have the major portion of the responsibility to reduce emissions for occupying the atmospheric space beyond their reasonable and fair share. 

Instead, the current approach is to get all countries to make an emissions reductions pledge, however limited or insignificant their emissions would be, ignoring their historical emissions.    

The US advanced this bottom-up approach which led to the concept of an NDC which is nationally determined, without any reference to equity or historical responsibility between developed and developing countries. 

What is then done is to add up all the individual contributions of countries and assess them in terms of their adequacy in achieving the Paris goals. This approach turns the principle of ‘common-but-differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities’ between developed and developing countries to a shared responsibility, which is inequitable and contrary to the UNFCCC and the PA.

Hence, to say that the PA allocates a carbon budget to every country cannot be further from the truth. 

Such a fundamental misconception must be corrected urgently, certainly before our Malaysian delegation goes into negotiations at COP26. 

Our officials should know and understand the negotiating history and the North-South battles over the delicate balance achieved in Paris, including as to the various obligations developed and developing countries have and their nuances. 

There are so many critical issues being advanced by developed countries at COP26, such as net zero emissions for all countries by 2050, and carbon market mechanisms with offsets linked to nature based solutions in developing countries which are bound to further exacerbate the inequities between developed and developing countries. 

Developed countries have already overused their carbon space and promoting distant net zero targets for themselves amounts to furthering ‘carbon colonialism’. They should, by right leave the remaining atmospheric space for the developmental rights of the developing world and aim for full decarbonisation in a far shorter time frame. Instead, if they continue to emit and occupy more atmospheric space for the next 30 years, the PA’s global temperature rise limit objective cannot be met.     

The Malaysian delegation to COP 26 must go well prepared to counter such moves. This requires understanding the fundamentals of the PA and the need to build alliances with other developing countries to prevent the further shifting of obligations to the developing world contrary to the PA. 

In addition, the developed world should also be held accountable in their failure under the UNFCCC in mobilising the USD100 billion per year by 2020, which was agreed to in 2010, so as to enable more climate action in the developing world and in enabling a clean and sustainable development trajectory with technology transfer. A new collective goal on finance has to be agreed to by 2025, with the US100 billion as a floor, based on the actual needs of developing countries. These are important milestones for COP26. COP26 is not going to be a walk in the park. We must be well prepared and be able to stand our ground so as not to be taken for a ride, which would be to the ultimate detriment of all of us.

Meenakshi Raman
President

On behalf of the following groups who have also endorsed the letter:

1.     Sahabat Alam Malaysia

2.     Consumers Association of Penang

3.     Third World Network

4.     Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (KUASA)

5.     Agora Society Malaysia

6.     Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam (pekamalaysia.org)

7.     Persatuan Kesedaran dan Keadilan Iklim Malaysia (Klima Action Malaysia – KAMY)

8.     Alliance Of River Three

9.     Jaringan Ekologi dan Iklim (JEDI)

10.  Environmental Protection Society Malaysia (EPSM)

11.  Free Tree Society Kuala Lumpur

12.  GRASS Malaysia

13.  Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)

14.  Greenpeace Malaysia

15.  Say No to PJD Link

16.  Centre for Orang Asli Concerns 

17.  MNS Selangor Branch

18.  Treat Every Environment Special Sdn Bhd (TrEES)

19.  Sustainable Development Network Malaysia (SUSDEN Malaysia)

20.  Pertubuhan Lestari Khazanah Alam Pulau Pinang (LEKAS)

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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.
Hue Fui How
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
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
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?
Chee Yoke Ling
Chee Yoke Lingstudent of SAM, Executive Director of Third World Network, SAM’s sister organisation

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Tel: +604 827 6930
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Sahabat Alam Malaysia
Sahabat Alam Malaysia - Member of Friends of the Earth International

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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