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CUT AND KEEP
MAY 2, 2014
> Iskandar’s uniqueblueprint
PART 2
L
AST
week, we touched on the
memorandumof understanding
(MoU) betweenGreenTech
Malaysia and Iskandar Regional
Development Authority (IRDA) that is
intended to facilitate the regional
development’s 50% carbon intensity target
by 2025. The two-year partnershipwill see
GreenTechMalaysia implement the Low
Carbon Cities Framework and Assessment
System (LCCF) in stages in an effort to
reduce carbon emissions within Iskandar
Malaysia. The role of GreenTechMalaysia
include generating a baseline study report,
identifying low carbon strategies plus
action plans and finally executing,
tracking and assessing the effectiveness
of the action plan, in line with IRDA’s Low
Carbon Society (LCS) blueprint.
WHAT IS THE LCS BLUEPRINT?
Essentially, the LCS blueprint has a similar
objective as the LCCF in that it promotes
the low carbon development of a city.
What sets the LCS blueprint apart is that it
is unique to IskandarMalaysia. It features
methodologies, contents, actions,
measures and programmes to reduce
greenhouse gases, to ultimately establish
“a strong, sustainablemetropolis of
international standing by 2025”. However,
it does not have an assessment system, a
function the LCCF compensates. IRDA
chief executive officer Datuk Ismail
Ibrahimexpounds: “The LCS blueprint
is amodel tominimise carbon emission in
IskandarMalaysia, while the LCCF is a tool
to calculate the green house gas (GHG)
emissions resulting fromhuman activities
in cities within a defined area.”
Sponsored by Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan
Science and Technology Agency (JST),
the LCS blueprint is a partnership between
research institutions fromMalaysia and
Japan, including Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia (UTM), KyotoUniversity, Okayama
University and the National Institute for
Environmental Studies. While designed for
IskandarMalaysia, the blueprint, which is
derived froma research project on
“Development of LowCarbon Society
Scenarios for Asian Regions”, can also
be used as amodel and template for other
countries in the region. It outlines 12 actions
to reduce carbon emission (grouped in
three themes):
Green Environment:
1. Walkable, safe, livable city design
2. Smart growth
3. Green and blue infrastructure &
rural resources
4. Sustainable wastemanagement
5. Clean air environment
Green Economy:
6. Integrated green transportation
7. Green industry
8. Low carbon urban governance
9. Green buildings & construction
10. Green energy system& renewable energy
Green Community:
11. Low carbon lifestyle
12. Community engagement &
consensus building
Through the application of the LCS
blueprint, IskandarMalaysia will encourage a
lifestyle that minimises carbon footprint in
the environment. This includes promoting
more use of public transport, mobile
management system for public transport,
use of hybrid vehicles, green office practices,
green hybrid or freight transportations,
harnessing solar energy, smart working
lifestyles i.e. working fromhome, eco-life
BERNAMAPIX
carbon cities
ENVIRONMENTAL
sustainability relies
on conditions that facilitate harmony
between humans and the natural world.
Due to industralisation, the symbiotic
relationship has been detrimentally
altered. Hence, businesses are increasingly
expected totomake vital and necessary
changes to its practices. Tomake a
greater impact, bigger organisations are
consequently exhorted to support non-
governmental organisations (NGO) in
their environmental saving efforts.
Shell Malaysia, one of the largest
international investors inMalaysia’s
energy sector, is also a supporter of NGOs
that are invested in environmentally
sustainable efforts as well as community
programmes. Working in collaboration
with businesses, governments and civil
society, including non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), Shell’s
approach to sustainabilityworks across
three levels:
ShellMalaysiagrants for sustainableprojects
1. Running a safe, efficient, responsible and
profitable business
2. Bringingwider benefits to the communities
and countries inwhich it operates
3. Shaping a path to a sustainable energy future
In 2014, Shell Malaysia awarded
RM294,000 to six organisations under its
Shell Sustainable Grants programme. The
programme, inter alia, covers environmental
conservation and community development.
ShellMalaysia chairman IainLo said: “These
projects are distinguished by the long-term
difference theywill make to the host
communities in environmental conservation
and sustaining livelihoods.”
The six organisations awarded are:
1. UKMarine Conservation Society
2. Persatuan Ibu Bapa &GuruGuru SK (2)
Damansara Jaya
3. Enactus Universiti UtaraMalaysia
4. Land Empowerment Animals
People (LEAP)
5. Caring Community Centre
6. Biji Biji
Minister of Natural Resources and
Environment, Datuk Seri G. Palanivel was
the guest of honour at the awards ceremony.
He asserted that Shell’s efforts are significant
for two reasons:
1) That the national economy is inter-related
with our capability to conserve natural
resources and safeguard our environment
2) It reflects the growing involvement of
businesses in the conservation of our
nation’s rich natural heritage.
Shell Malaysia chairman Iain Lo (5th from left) and Natural Resource and Environment
Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel with the recipients of the Shell Sustainable
Development Grants
DID YOU KNOW?
According to the United States
Environmental Protection Agency,
black carbon (BC) is among the strongest
light-absorbing component of particulate
matter (PM), and is formed by the
incomplete combustion of fossil fuels,
biofuels and biomass.
It has emerged that BC is a major
contributor to global climate change,
possibly second only to carbon dioxide
(CO2) as the main driver of change.
These BC particles strongly absorb
sunlight, thereby giving soot its black
colour. BC is produced both naturally
and by human activity. Primary sources
include emissions from diesel engines,
cooking stoves, wood burning and
forest fires.
BC increases warming in two ways.
When suspended in air, BC absorbs
sunlight, generates heat in the
atmosphere, which warms the air
and can affect regional cloud formation
and precipitation patterns. When
deposited on snow and ice, it absorbs
sunlight, again generating heat, which
warms both the air above and the snow
and ice below, thus accelerating melting.
Because BC remains in the atmosphere
for only one to four weeks, its effects on
climatic conditions are largely regional.
Its short lifespan also mean that its effects
on the climate would dissipate quickly if
black carbon emissions are reduced, thus
benefiting, most directly, the countries or
communities that invest in policies to
reduce BC emissions.
strategic engine for socio-economic growth.
The impact of green technology adoptions
and deployment is expected to increase the
number of high income jobs, encourage a
proficient workforce, reduce fossil fuelled
power, plus increase renewable power and
increase gross national income/gross
domestic product and investments.
challenge
projects for
schools, promoting
energy-saving devices,
providing interconnected
pedestrianwalkways and
cycle lanes for greater use of
bicycles, and creating a pedestrian-friendly
city and neighbourhoods.
LOW CARBON CITIES VS
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Besides low carbon cities encouraging a
healthy and sustainable environment,
it has a great impact on socio-economic
development. The vision for Iskandar
Malaysia as a low carbon regionwas in
essence to holistically and sustainably
benefit the development of an
economic powerhouse.
According toUTMFaculty of Built
Environment Prof Ho Chin Siong in an
article on IskandarMalaysia: “...the
integration of two competing goals – ‘strong’
and ‘sustainable’ in a single development
vision poses great challenges to Iskandar
Malaysia’s growth policies and development
planning.” Ismail espoused: “IRDA planned
that theremust be a comprehensive and
holistic approach on the development of
IskandarMalaysia, so as to ensure that
growth is maintained in a sensible, timely
and sustainablemanner. As such, setting
targets for a low carbon future, enabling
positive support and promotion of a green
economy through increased investments in
environmental assets and green technology
and productionmust all be properly planned
andmanaged.”
Ultimately, it involves policies and
strategies on green economy, green
community and green environment to
decouple rapid growth fromcarbon
emissions in IskandarMalaysia, wrote Ho.
Interestingly, Malaysia aspires to be a
world hub for green technology by 2030. The
objective of GreenTechMalaysia (formerly
known as Pusat TenagaMalaysia), whichwas
restructured in 2010 in line with the National
Green Technology Policy 2009, is to catalyse
green technology deployment asMalaysia’s
