Malaysian government efforts to mitigate climate change

1. Malaysian government efforts to mitigate climate change

2. National Committee on CDM (NCCDM) • Established in May 2002 under the MONRE (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) • Two technical committees: one for Energy and another for Forestry • Oversees CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) projects on • renewable energy • energy efficiency • land fill management (flaring or land fill gas to energy) • fuel switch to less C-based (coal to gas or biomass) • biogas to energy • land use and land use change, e.g., afforestation (grow a forest), reforestation (grow more trees in a forest), and cropland management

3. National Green Technology Policy • Launched in July 2009 by the Prime Minister • Five objectives: • Decreasing growth of energy consumption while enhancing economic development; • Facilitating growth of the Green Technology industry and enhancing its contribution to the national economy; • Increasing national capability and capacity for innovation in Green Technology development and enhancing Malaysia’s Green Technology competitiveness in the global arena; • Ensuring sustainable development and conserving the environment for future generations; and • Enhancing public education and awareness on Green Technology and encouraging its widespread use

4. Five strategic thrusts: • Strengthening cooperation between institutions • Ministry of Energy, Green technology and Water is the focal point (hub) of coordination • Provide conducive environment for Green Technology development • make Malaysia a regional hub • Ensure sufficient skilled, qualified, competent, and productive work force in Green Technology development • Intensify R&D in Green technology and towards commercialisation • Promote strong awareness among the public about Green Technology

5. Capture of methane emissions from palm oil mills • Malaysia has 417 palm oil mills • 246 in Peninsular Malaysia, 117 in Sabah • Mills emit CH4 from retention ponds after oil has been extracted • So, capture the CH4 emissions from palm oil mill effluent (POME) as biogas • can be used/sold for industry (e.g., olechemical producers), transport fuel, and electricity • biogas cheaper than electricity • easier and cheaper to transport over long distance • gas pipelines cheaper to build than electricity towers • transmission loss by gas only ¼ of that by electricity

6. Use of palm oil biofuel • Malaysia can produce as much as 2 mil. tonnes of biofuel per year from palm oil • B5 biodiesel • 5% palm oil, 95% diesel • but 4-5 cents a liter more expensive than 100% diesel • plan to introduce by 2008 but delayed to 2010 then delayed to possibly 2011 • some doubts whether the public would want to pay more for this B5 biodiesel • Energy from empty fruit bunches can also be used (7.5 to 14 MW) • but not fully utilised because of irregular EFB supply and technology limitations

7. Renewable energy • Malaysia plans to increase use of renewable energy from 50 MW today to 2,000 MW by 2020 • Suria 1000 programme • power from solar energy • Hydropower and geothermal also seen as sources of renewable energy • but dams (especially large ones like Bakun dam) are not environmentally friendly (and not renewable) • Malaysia pledges to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2020 compared to levels at 2005 (Copenhagen 2009) • Malaysia pledges to maintain at least 50% of total land area forested (Rio de Janerio 1992)

8. Reforestation in Malaysia Reforestation in Malaysia has increased from an average of 989 ha per year in 1988-1992 to 6839 ha per year in 1998-2002 In 2003-2007, Malaysia’s reforestation rate increased to an average of 33,009 ha per year, an increase of nearly five times of that in 1998-2002 Deforestation rate in Malaysia has fallen* 2006-2010: deforestation rate = 102,000 ha per year 2000-2005: deforestation rate = 140,000 ha per year * includes rubber plantations as forest