Responding to Climate Change from an Ethical Perspective

By Nithi Nesadurai
President, Environmental Protection Society Malaysia (EPSM)

Content
Malaysias international obligations on climate change the UNFCCC process National actions Current situation Impacts Way forward using an ethical perspective Glimmers of hope

The United Nations Process

1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio 1994 Entry into force of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Article 3: Common but differentiated responsibilities

Malaysia ratified UNFCCC in 1994

The United Nations Process

1997: Adoption of Kyoto Protocol
Legally binding agreement Industrialised countries to reduce their collective greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% compared to the year 1990 over the five-year period 2008-2012

2005: February 16: Kyoto Protocol came into effect Malaysia ratified KP in 2002
No mandatory targets for Malaysia and Singapore (developing countries)

Bali Roadmap
Conference of Parties (CoP) 13 held in Bali
Ad-Hoc Working Group on Kyoto Protocol Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action

National Actions (pre Bali)

First National Communication (INC) 2000, for base year 1994 National Steering Committee on Climate Change 1994 National Committee on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) 2002
Biggest recipient of CDM projects in SEA (86 registered projects in 2010)

Current Situation
Carbon footprint upward trend Changes in climate (temperature) noted Changes in rainfall patterns noted

Projected Trends in National GHG Emissions

Sectors 2000 CO2 Equivalent (Mt) 2005 2007

Energy Industrial Processes Agriculture Land Use Change and Forestry Waste Total emissions Total sink Net (after subtracting sink)

147.0 14.1 5.9 29.6

204.3 15.6 6.6 25.3

217.0 17.1 7.2 19.7

26.4 223.0 -249.8 -26.8

27.4 279.2 -240.5 38.7

8

31.9 292.9 -247.0 45.9

Ref: Table 2.4, NC2

Observed and Projected Changes: Malaysia

Observed Temperature Rainfall (amount) 0.6-1.2 o C per 50 years (1969-2009) No appreciable difference Projected (by 2050) 1.5-2 o C increase (-) 5% to (+) 9% change in regions within PM (-) 6% to (+) 11% change in regions within Sabah and Sarawak. Increase in extremes within wet cycles Increase in frequency of extreme weather

Rainfall Intensity

Increased by 17% for 1 hour duration and 29% for 3 hour duration (20002007 compared to1971-1980)

Sea Level 1.3 mm/yr (1986-2006, Tanjung Piai, Rise (SLR) Johor)

0.5m (Global high worst case at 10 mm/yr) 9

Ref: Table ES 2, NC2

Contributory Factors
Policy incoherence among agencies Strong link between economic growth and national energy consumption Subsidy for oil and gas Transport low public transport ridership Shift from gas to coal Environmental degradation
Pollution and heat island effect Deforestation Urbanisation

Impacts of Climate Change

Security
Human (inter-national and intra-national migration) Water Food Energy

Health Agriculture Loss of Biodiversity especially in coastal and montane regions

Prospects and Challenges: The Way Forward

Using an Ethics perspective
Ethics is a field of philosophical enquiry that examines concepts and their application of what is right and wrong, obligatory and non obligatory, and when responsibility should be attached to human actions that cause harm.

Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change (EDCC)

Based on EDCC White Paper released in 2006 at COP12 in Nairobi. Facilitated by Rock Ethics Institute, Pennsylvania State University.
www.rockethics.psu.edu/climate

Evaluates eight specific ethical issues from the perspectives of factual content, ethical analysis and procedural fairness.

Framework of Ethical Issues

1. Responsibility for Damages
Is it an ethically acceptable excuse for a country to use cost to the economy to fail to take action on climate change?

2. Atmospheric Targets
Should a country not be ethically obligated to consider the interests of non-represented future generations and non-humans?

Framework of Ethical Issues

3. Allocating Global Emissions among Nations
Implementing the polluter pays principle

4. Scientific Uncertainty
Should a country refuse to take action to reduce its GHG emissions because of scientific uncertainty on timing and magnitude?

Framework of Ethical Issues

5. Cost to National Economies
Should a country refuse to take action to reduce its GHG emissions on the basis of domestic cost alone?

6. Independent Responsibility to Act

Should a country undertake policies and measures to limit its GHG emissions, regardless of actions taken or not taken by other countries?

Framework of Ethical Issues

7. Potential New Technologies
Should a country refuse to reduce its GHG emissions now because less costly technologies may be available in the future?

8. Procedural Fairness
Should a country develop a national climate change policy which only considers implications to itself alone?

Benefits of Ethics Perspective

Instill a sense of urgency to act
Not acting on climate change in the face of its catastrophic impacts is unethical Benchmark for countries when making decisions on climate change. Principles that apply to countries can equally apply to us as individuals.

The Ethical Course

Not depleting the earths resources but safeguarding them also for the benefit of future generations. Acting as responsible trustees of the earth rather than wasteful owners. Allow climate technology to be available as a common good rather than a means for commercial gains. Adopt the notion of only taking what we need and not to amass for greed. Enable poor countries and communities to be prepared adequately to face climate change impacts through adaptation with sufficient financial, human and technological capacity.

Question
Can we afford not to act?
CC is already being regarded as a defence threat in some developed countries Future wars are expected to be caused by competition for basic necessities due to depleting resources such as water and lack of arable land Human migration is also anticipated as land areas disappear/become inhabitable causing stress on existing resources Failure to do the right thing has dire consequences: Financial Crisis!

Glimmers of Hope
California legislation to curb GHG emissions. Newcastle City Council in Australia capping coal exports from its port. New Delhi Municipal Corporation forcing all public transport vehicles to shift from diesel and petrol to compressed natural gas. Action of 1054 Mayors in the US under the US Climate Protection Agreement to reduce GHG emissions beyond that of Kyoto Protocol.

Malaysias voluntary pledge at COP 15, Copenhagen, 2009

I would also like to announce here in Copenhagen that Malaysia is adopting an indicator of a voluntary reduction of up to 40% in terms of emissions intensity of GDP by the year 2020 compared to 2005 levels. This indicator is conditional on receiving the transfer of technology and finance of adequate and effective levels from our Annex 1 partners, that correspond to what is required in order to achieve this indicator PM, Malaysia at Copenhagen on 17 December 2009
Image taken by Dr Gary W. Theseira

National Actions (post Copenhagen)

Tax incentives for Green Technology in annual budgets, especially after 2009 National Green Technology Policy 2010 Green Technology and Climate Change Council 2010 National Policy on Climate Change 2010 Renewable Energy Act (with feed-in tariff) 2010 (to start implementation in 2011) Second National Communication 2011, inventory for base year 2000 Low Carbon Green Growth Act in near future? Implementation and working across agencies

Conclusions
More ethical leadership is needed globally and nationally relating to climate change. Ethics needs to be a benchmark for nations and individuals when making decisions on climate change. All ethical principles that apply to nations can equally apply to us as individuals.

EPSM SLiM Challenge Home

Find ways to reduce my electricity use by 10% this year. Find ways to reduce my water consumption by 10% this year. Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle. Start a compost heap.

EPSM SLiM Challenge Food and Transport

Choose at least one day a month to eat a meat-free meal in my household. Maintain my car well, keep the tyres properly inflated and abide by the speed limit. Not use my car for at least one day a month.

EPSM SLiM Challenge Home and Office

Avoid unnecessary shopping. Say NO to styrofoam boxes and plastic bags. Think before I print.

Reference
www.rockethics.psu.edu/climate NC2: Malaysias Second National Communication to the UNFCCC http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/malnc2 .pdf