SERDANG: Some 40 Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) students and experts recently shared their perspectives on Malaysia’s climate policies during a focus group discussion titled “Youth Voices on Climate Actions: Youth Focus Group Discussion for Nationally Determined Contributions”.
Held at the university, it was a collaboration between UPM, Unicef Malaysia, the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, and a youth-led climate advocacy initiative called ClimX.
The ministry’s Climate Change Division deputy undersecretary Ahmad Farid Mohammed said the government is prioritising collaborative and inclusive approaches under the Nationally Determined Contributions, ensuring young people play an active role in shaping policies that safeguard Malaysia’s environment and future generations.
“The implementation of the polluter-pay principle holds corporations accountable for their environmental impact, with the government committing to introduce a carbon tax on the iron and steel industry and the energy sector by 2026.
“The tax is designed to encourage the adoption of low-carbon technologies. The proceeds would finance research and green technology programmes. The government is exploring other carbon pricing measures, such as the Emissions Trading System, with the ministry developing the Climate Change Bill and the national carbon market policy to support the initiatives.”
In her paper titled “The State of Climate in Malaysia”, UPM Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences senior lecturer Dr Vivien How spoke of Malaysia’s climate challenges and their impact on public health and the environment, emphasising the need for collective action.
“Rising greenhouse gas emissions and their link to air pollution have contributed to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, which are the second leading cause of death in Malaysia.
“One of the most pressing concerns is the human-induced release of persistent and harmful substances, such as synthetic chemicals, heavy metals and microplastics, which could cause irreversible damage to living organisms and ecosystems.
“The environment absorbs these pollutants, which accumulate in our bodies, posing a growing health crisis.”
How described synthetic chemicals as a “ticking time bomb” as many of them are slowly seeping into the soil, water and atmosphere, with their long-term impact still unfolding.
She said there are several health impacts caused by climate change, including rising temperatures and sea levels, and extreme weather events that are all interconnected and lead to a range of health issues, such as malaria, dengue, respiratory allergies, cholera, food and water supply disruptions, malnutrition and diarrhoea.
Student Chan Yee Thong, 19, highlighted the impact of extreme weather events, including floods, sinkholes and landslides, which have disrupted daily life and pose health risks.
She said initiatives such as no-plastic campaigns, the use of paper straws and public transport are good but more needs to be done.
“There is a shortage of platforms for youth to voice opinions, and often our perspectives are disregarded by the older generations. We need more climate-related programmes tailored to young people.
“It is not easy for students to afford vegan or organic products. Reducing prices or taxes on these products could encourage more people to make environmentally friendly choices.”
She proposed solutions such as improving access to public transport beyond Selangor, incorporating climate change awareness into educational curricula and providing more funding for youth-led activities.
“We are committed to personal actions such as using public transport more frequently, supporting local and vegan products, thrifting and participating in climate change related activities and volunteering.”
She urged the authorities to allocate more funds for climate related programmes, design initiatives tailored to youth, evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and outline concrete steps to address climate change.
