JOHANNESBURG: A broader multi-level approach to climate action and embracing technological pragmatism is how the world should deal with disasters, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said countries must also accelerate adaptation where impacts already threaten lives and livelihoods, especially in food and water security.
Describing Southeast Asia as one of the world’s disaster epicentres, the region accounts for half of global disaster fatalities and more than US$4.4bil in economic losses.
“We have learnt that resilience depends on anticipatory investment. That is why our region has built one of the most active disaster-response systems in the developing world through the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance,” he said.
Speaking during the intervention at Session 2 of the G20 Leaders Summit on Saturday night (Nov 22), Anwar said that while the science of climate change was clear, global momentum was faltering.
“In many societies, including in the industrialised world, there is a rising pushback against policies seen to raise prices and threaten jobs.
“At the same time, energy demand in developing regions is growing faster than clean alternatives can be deployed. The world will continue to use fossil fuels for some time. Pretending otherwise will not help us plan responsibly,” he added.
Sharing Asean’s experience, Anwar told the Summit that regional platforms can advance climate action, disaster cooperation and energy connectivity even when global processes struggle, describing this as “the practical architecture of resilience.”
“We must embrace technological pragmatism. If fossil fuels cannot be eliminated overnight, then we need the technologies that reduce their footprint. Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), methane abatement, and industrial decarbonisation will all be essential.
“Malaysia is investing strongly in this direction, including the development of carbon-capture and storage hubs,” said Anwar.
The Prime Minister noted that climate change has already slowed global agricultural productivity growth by more than 20% since 1961, and without stronger adaptation and support for farmers, tens of millions more people could face hunger by 2050.
“Malaysia will work with all partners, global, regional and local, to advance a climate strategy that is ambitious yet grounded in the realities our people face.
“To sustain these efforts at scale, international climate finance must be accessible, predictable and aligned with the needs of developing regions.
“Only then can we secure livelihoods and advance shared prosperity,” he added.
