Goal to achieve carbon neutral status by 2050 seems overambitious, says lawmaker

KUALA LUMPUR: The government might have jumped the gun when it targeted to become a carbon-neutral nation by 2050 in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), says a lawmaker.

Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh) argued that this was because the study on Long-term Low Emissions Strategies (LT-LEDS) in the country will only be finalised by 2022.

The LT-LEDS study, said Kok, will draw up greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies for key economic sectors in the country.

"Why not wait until the LT-LEDS study is finalised?

"Why not wait until after the Global Stocktake exercise under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is announced in 2023?" she questioned, in Parliament on Monday (Oct 4), during her speech on 12MP.

"The decision is akin to putting the cart before the horse," she added.

Kok said neighbouring countries such as Indonesia had announced its target to achieve "carbon-neutral" status by 2065 and Thailand earliest by 2065.

"The announcement by Malaysia to achieve 'carbon neutral' status by 2050 seems too ambitious and it did not go through serious studies," she added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, during the tabling of 12MP in Parliament last Monday, said Malaysia remains committed to become a carbon-neutral nation by as early as 2050.

Ismail Sabri had said carbon pricing and carbon tax will be introduced, while other measures for carbon reduction will be announced once the low-carbon long-term development strategy study is finalised by the end of 2022.

He also said laws related to energy efficiency and conservation will be introduced to regulate energy consumption by high-intensity consumers in the industrial and commercial sectors.

At present, Malaysia contributes less than 0.76% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.