HOW did Malaysia end up with a rock-bottom Doomsday climate survival score of -10? We began our climate change series on Feb 19 in theSun, highlighting how public perception shapes climate priorities.
In one survey, voters were asked to rank their concerns by priority; climate change and the environment came in at No. 15 – out of 16 issues. In another survey, climate change did not appear on the list at all, which featured only eight concerns.
We informed readers that our series would differ from other analyses that regard biodiversity loss as a subset of climate change, when it should be viewed as a separate category. This is because climate change and biodiversity loss are paired facets of the wider global ecological crisis threatening humanity – a situation that we are facing for the first time in 300,000 years of human existence.
Our collated findings are recorded on a scale ranging from +1 to +10 for a positive outlook and -1 to -10 for a negative one, with -10 indicating a doomsday scenario.
Throughout the 300,000 years of human existence until the start of the Industrial Revolution, the carbon dioxide level in the Earth’s atmosphere had held steady at around 280 parts per million (ppm). It rose to 290ppm by 1879 and by 1910 had reached 300ppm.
In 2013, atmospheric CO₂ levels reached 400ppm. By 2020, the concentration had risen to 417ppm and in 2022, it crossed the critical threshold of 420ppm – a level not seen on Earth in approximately four million years. In June 2024, the CO₂ level peaked at 426.91ppm.
Scientists have zero doubt that the changes in CO₂ levels have been caused solely by human activity, mainly the burning of fossil fuels and the extension of farmlands at the expense of natural forests and other natural ecosystems.
Fossil fuels saw a transformation of the world economy that spurred a massive surge in human population.
In 1856, scientists tested the heating effects of CO₂ in the air and proved that it contributed to global warming. In 1896, they discovered that the burning of coal and other fossil fuels contributed to the warming effect.
For causing global heating and adverse climate change, humanity, including Malaysia, lost one point.
It was only in 1987 that an international agreement called the Montreal Protocol was signed to restrict the use of CFC and HCFC chemicals that damage the ozone level. For taking no action until 1987, all nations, including Malaysia, lost a second point, making the score -2.
It took until 2015 before the UN Climate Change Conference set binding targets and commitments by 196 countries to limit global temperature increases. For dragging its feet until 2015, humanity, including Malaysia, lost another point. The score stood at -3.
Last year, the floods in Malaysia were exceptionally severe, with padi loss equivalent to 5.84 million 10kg packs of rice. More than 100ha of farmland were destroyed. Due to the lack of flood disaster preparedness, Malaysia lost one more point. The score stood at -4.
For its failure to anticipate the devastating consequences of heatwaves and take preventive measures, Malaysia lost another point. The score stood at -5.
Malaysia has no plans to rapidly reduce the production and sale of petrol-driven vehicles, which contribute significantly to global warming. Every working day, Klang Valley roads carry three million petrol cars, each emitting about 12kg of CO₂ annually. Additionally, six million petrol motorcycles traverse these roads multiple times a day.
By choosing to fuel a growing number of vehicles instead of developing a comprehensive bus transport system, Malaysia lost another point, bringing its score down to -6.
Scientists have identified human overpopulation as a key driver of global warming. The need to feed more people demands expanding farmland, which leads to deforestation while increased industrialisation is required to produce consumer goods, especially essential items for infants and childcare.
As the government and religious authorities encouraged higher birth rates, Malaysia lost another point, bringing the score to -7.
In prioritising adversarial politics and maintaining population growth while ignoring this key driver of environmental strain, Malaysia lost yet another point, dropping the score to -8.
By promoting exclusivity instead of fostering inclusivity – uniting all religions in collective climate action – we lost an additional point, bringing the total to -9.
Finally, due to a lack of government efficiency and political will to fully commit to climate survival efforts, we lost one more point. Our final score stands at -10: rock bottom.
But what can the government do? It must support climate reversal efforts by issuing clear directives to MPs to stop exploiting race and religion inside and outside the Dewan Rakyat.
All Malaysians respect Islam as the country’s official religion. Moreover, non-Malay Malaysians who interact with Malays in workplaces, healthcare and marketplaces recognise the honesty and integrity that many Malays display towards all customers, regardless of ethnicity – a valued trait deeply rooted in their culture.
Dewan Rakyat members must be constantly reminded to focus primarily on adopting climate reversal actions because the nation’s survival depends on it.
Politicians should not focus solely on winning votes by riding populist waves. They need to be continually reminded that their primary responsibility is to advance effective climate policies.
Getting elected should be seen as a means to fulfil this critical duty to the nation. Above all, they should act with integrity and a sense of righteousness, working to safeguard the country’s future.
Cabinet ministers must set a good example. They should align all ministries in an all-out effort to adopt climate reversal strategies. Our research shows that no ministry has made climate reversal its top priority.
A classic example is the continuing emphasis on promoting petrol-fuelled vehicles instead of adopting a plan for rapid conversion to electric vehicles (EV), which would help eliminate harmful PM2.5 particles – a deadly byproduct of petrol combustion.
International medical studies, accepted by a coroner’s court in London, confirm that PM2.5 particles cause severe lung ailments. Yet, how many EV do you actually see on the road? Most
EV owners, if not all, tend to be high-income earners.
Roads in the cities are choked with traffic and the air over Klang Valley is usually hazy from traffic-particle dust. It is only a matter of time before lung ailments surpass all forms of cancer as the leading cause of death.
After coal, petrol is the second-largest source of CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere.
Joachim Ng champions interfaith harmony.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
