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ON FRIDAY
NOVEMBER 20, 2015
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Call
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green
Kedah
PART3
> Examining the
state’s Green Agenda
and environmental
conservation plans
W
HILE
parts 1 and 2 of
the Kedah Green
articles touched on the
KedahMentri Besar
Datuk Seri MukhrizMahathir’s
plan for the state in terms of
advocating the green agenda and
GreenTech CEOAhmadHadri
Haris’ views on the collaboration
with the state in helping to
incorporate sustainability practices
in its operations, this week, we
explore the state’s Green
Agenda itself.
KEDAH’S GREEN AGENDA
Contained in the above-mentioned
are the fundamentals of the
National Green Agenda, the state’s
“green vision” and its action plan,
apart fromother relevant
information. The National Green
Technology Policywas introduced
in 2009. Its aimwas to use green
technology to accelerate the
national economy and promote
sustainable development.
The agenda also reiterated the
country’s commitment, where it
pledged to reduce the national
carbon footprint by up to 40% in
terms of emissions intensity of
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by
the year 2020.
With that, and the 11thMalaysia
Planwhichmirrors the
government’s increased focus on
sustainability and environmental
conservation, in addition to
government ministries developing
blueprints andmasterplans as
guiding principles that support the
rollout of green technology across
the nation – these and other green
initiatives led to the development
of Kedah’s GreenVision.
With Kedah being a strong
driver of the nation’s economy, as
the “rice bowl of Malaysia”, along
with its move into high-end
technology, automotive and
aerospacemanufacturing and
development, the visionwas said
to help catapult Kedah into its
next phase of growth, “as the
model state that has successfully
brought about the convergence of
societal wellbeing, economic
progress and environmental
sustainability,” as quoted by the
menteri besar.
FORAGOODCAUSE…
Mah SingGroup Berhad raised RM1.28million through its philanthropic event, theMah Sing Foundation
Charity Fun Run 2015 held at the Perdana Botanical Gardens in KL recently. Monies collectedwent to beneficiaries (
pix
) championing rights of
autistic and underprivileged children through an inaugural 4.7km fun run. The event also saw some 1,380 participants being taught various ways
to support autistic children in a run. Adding to the funwas the lucky draw, which provided opportunities for participants towin prizes amounting
to over RM40,000.
8) by providing solar rooftops for
housing for the people;
9) in creatingmore solar
power plants;
10) by using an EV fleet of vehicles
within its state government;
11) by further developing its EV
infrastructure;
12) by expanding its sustainable
wastemanagement;
13) in developing its rice husk
ecosystem to promote
renewable energy (RE); and
14) by lowering its carbon footprint
within the cities in Kedah.
ACTIONS AND STRATEGIES
We take a deeper look into some of
the state’s action plans.
While its third intention
revolves around reducing energy
consumption and operation’s costs
in its government-owned buildings
in Kedah, its fourth strategy is to
utilise light-emitting diodes,
otherwise known as LEDs,
throughout state government
buildings. This is said to be able to
reduce electricity consumption and
carbon emissions by up to 70%.
Its seventh plan of actionwill
see all street lights within the
1,700ha KulimHi-Tech Park
retrofittedwith LEDs, similarly
reducing energy costs by 70% and
lowering carbon emissions.
Interestingly, its eighth strategy is
to incorporate solar photovoltaic
roof systems into the design of
some 6,000 homes. The
development of solar farms and
solar power plants are also part of
the blueprint, apart from the use of
electric vehicles (also referred to as
EV), whichwill help improve air
quality, thus reducing impact on
public health. EVs will be deployed
along with the development and
support in growing the nation’s EV
market and the state’s EV
ecosystemvia installingmore EV
charging stations
et cetera
.
Point 13, however, promotes the
use of renewable energy (RE),
which interestingly involves using
rice husk as fuel for power
generation.
There is a three-year timeline to
deliver the GreenVision towhich
the state government has agreed to
workwith GreenTech, under the
guidance of KeTTHA
(Kementerian Tenaga Teknoloji
Hijau dan Air). To this, thementeri
besar reiterates howvital it is for all
stakeholders to support the state’s
efforts tomake the GreenVision a
success, not just for the people, but
for businesses in Kedah and future
sustainability of the state.
GREEN PLANS
The Kedah Green Agenda lists its
sustainability and environmental
conservation plans in these areas:
1) via human capital development;
2) by becoming the centre of
excellence for solar technology;
3) through practising sustainable
energymanagement;
4) by using LEDs in state
government buildings;
5) through government green
procurement;
6) initiating the state’s green data
centre and green data recovery
centre;
7) in its street light retrofitting
programme;