Greening the Economy

The article written by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water which appeared in the Star on Saturday November 27, 2010:  Gearing Towards a Green Malaysia is posted for future reference.


Towards a green nation and economy

AT YOUR SERVICE


By DATUK LOO TOOK GEE

Secretary-General Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry

In the pursuit of sustainable development, policymakers must find a way to strike a balance between economic efficiency and environmental protection.

THE global community is confronted with challenges related to the environment and climate change. As a result, many countries are promoting sustainable development by investing in green technology in the form of cleaner low-carbon transport and energy systems, “smart” electricity grids, energy efficiency, renewable energy as well as in green research and development.

Green technology signifies a global paradigm shift in which economic aspiration combines with resource productivity and conservation to spearhead sustainable development.

Under a Cabinet reshuffle in April 2009, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry (Kettha) was given the mandate to promote sustainable development through the adoption of green technologies in the various economic sectors of the country.
In pushing for a low-carbon economy, the Government launched the National Green Technology Policy on July 24, 2009, which serves as the basis for all Malaysians to enjoy an improved quality of life, by ensuring that the objectives of our national development policies will continue to be balanced with environmental considerations.

The Government also hopes to create a new avenue of growth for the country from green technology, in line with the New Economic Model that was unveiled recently.

The country’s vision for a low-carbon growth trajectory will be driven by four main pillars – energy, economy, environment and society.

To strengthen the platform for our green agenda, the National Green Technology Council was established to spearhead green technology application in the country. This council is chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and supported by a steering committee and five working groups on industry, research and innovation, human capital, promotion and public awareness and transportation.

The Green Technology Policy also outlines five strategic thrusts towards implementing green technologies in the country (for details, go to http://www.kettha.gov.my/).

In the transition to a low-carbon economy, the key issue for our policymakers is how to strike a balance between economic efficiency and environmental protection as the driver for economic growth and environmental sustainability. This needs to take into consideration the importance of promoting the notion of the environment and eco-efficiency as a business opportunity, rather than a cost item.

The following are examples of the initiatives undertaken by the ministry to address the challenges of climate change and reduce our carbon footprint:

Energy efficiency

The Malaysian Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvement Programme represents one of the main efforts undertaken to improve energy efficiency in the industrial sector. Since 2001, fiscal incentives had been introduced by the Government to promote efficient use of energy such as pioneer status, investment tax allowance, duty import exemption and sales tax exemption.
The ministry was now in the midst of finalising the Energy Efficiency Master Plan with clear goals and targets in the industrial, building and residential sectors, so as to coordinate and implement energy efficiency and conservation programmes in a systematic and holistic manner.

Renewable energy

The Government approved the Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan in April 2010. This policy is aimed at promoting long-term sustainability by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation and at the same time stimulate a new growth industry for the country.

To encourage renewable energy generation in the country, the Government will be implementing the Feed-in Tariff Mechanism which allows electricity produced from such sources like biomass, biogas, mini-hydro and solar to be sold to power utilities at a fixed premium price and for a specific duration.

Green buildings

The Green Building Index (GBI) is a rating tool to grade environment-friendly buildings and the Government is providing fiscal incentives to buildings which are GBI-certified.Owners of GBI-certified buildings are entitled to income tax exemptions, equivalent to the additional capital expenditure, to green their building. Buyers of green buildings from developers will also be exempted from stamp duty equivalent to the additional cost incurred to green their building.

Sustainable transport

To facilitate the use of electric vehicles (EV) in the country, the Government is in the process of preparing the EV Infrastructure Roadmap, which includes a fleet test programme for electric vehicles. The implementation of this fleet test will be the benchmark in developing a strategic plan and framework as well as identification of entities that will benefit the electric vehicle industry, in areas of services and new business opportunities.

Green Technology Roadmap

Under the Green Technology Roadmap, a baseline study is currently being conducted to ascertain the overall green technology applications in six sectors, namely, energy, transport, building, water and waste management, manufacturing industries and ICT applications.

Green Technology Financing Scheme

A RM1.5bil soft loan scheme called the Green Technology Financing Scheme (GTFS) was launched by the Government early this year to encourage the participation of companies and entrepreneurs in green technology. The Government bears 2% of the interest rate charged and provides a guarantee of 60% on the financing amount, with the remaining 40% being taken by banking institutions.

Green townships in Putrajaya and Cyberjaya

The ministry, together with the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (MGTC), is developing a green township framework, a green township rating system based on the Common Carbon Metric (CCM) and carbon footprint baseline as well as conducting a study on a 10% saving in energy and water usage in all government buildings in Putrajaya. It is hoped that the developed framework and rating system will benefit other townships in the country where they can use both the framework and rating system as a guide to develop their own green townships.

Eco-labelling

The Government is working with the Standards and Industrial Research Institute Malaysia (SIRIM) towards developing standards, certification and labelling mechanisms, including green procurement manuals and procedures, to enable the Government and private sectors to embark on green purchasing which will be internationally recognised. The Ministry is also working with the Finance Ministry in formulating a Green Procurement Policy to encourage green procurement to be implemented in government agencies.

Human capital development 

The Government is also facilitating the development of Occupational Analysis (OA) and National Competency Standards (NCS) as well as National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) for green collar jobs.
The objective of this initiative is to develop a hghly-skilled workforce to meet future demands in the area of green technology.
In conclusion, the transformation of Malaysia's economy to a low- carbon economy can be viewed as a strategic move to promote green technology as an engine of growth, drive innovation and create employment in the country. Green Growth is where our future lies.

WE WAIT AND SEE!

Doing Something Green

Instead of sending my delicate silks to the cleaners to be dry cleaned with poisonous petroleum based solvents, I thought I should try to hand wash them instead. I had bought a special gentle soap that contains a  colorguard that prevents the colour from running when wet. Well, the reason we send our clothes to the dry cleaners is because the colour runs when washed at home.. I tested my clothes first with a little soap, and voila, the water was clear.It works.So I proceeded to wash and rinse all my clothes I had reserved specially for the cleaners. After washing them, I just let them drip dry in the bathroom. Drip- drying would make ironing easier as there would be less creases.

As the hot whether continues I have no worries.My clothes would dry in no time even when hung in the bathroom.

Tory Green Proposals

The London Daily Telegraph on 24th Nov 2009 reported that the opposition Conservative Party or Tories as they are called are proposing a coupon or voucher incentive to encourage households to recycle. These vouchers could be claimed from Marks and Spencer and Tesco. It was expected that claims up to GBP130 could be accumulated by a household per year.


It is estimated that these incentives could encourage households to recycle and the national recycling rates will increase by at least 30 per cent annually.

If more people were to recycle, there will less pressure on the landfills as less rubbish will be created and dumped. Councils would spend less on filling up the landfills and thus the money saved on landfill taxes could go to finance the claim vouchers.

The recycling plan is part of several green measures that also include:

* cutting carbon emissions in Britain by 10 per cent within a year

* creating the country’s first ‘green investment bank’

* introducing Green ISAs, encouraging investment in green technologies

* making Whitehall energy consumption ‘transparent’.

The Conservatives have carried out a pilot scheme in the Tory-led council areas of Windsor and Maidenhead where recycling points are set up where the vouchers can be redeemed online and spent at hundreds of local shops.

The points are then uploaded onto a computer database which can be accessed by residents to collect and redeem the points. It has enabled residents to earn a maximum of £130 per year in vouchers and discounts.

At the moment, 37 per cent of household waste in England and Wales is recycled, up from just 7.5 per cent in 1996. But landfill taxes levied by the Government are still set to rise from £40 a tonne to £70 a tonne in the next three years.

The Conservative plans to increase recycling rates are likely to be welcomed by many Councils that fear facing swinging European Union fines if they the number of landfills are not reduced.

The ‘green’ bank would consolidate public funds that is divided across a number of current Government climate change initiatives. It would also bring in private sector funds which would be used to create jobs, encourage innovations and encourage companies to invest in Britain.

Green ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts) will also be used to encourage members of the public to invest in green technologies.

Under the new green Tory plans, details would also be published online of the energy consumption of every Whitehall department so that the public can hold ministers and civil servants to account for their carbon footprint.

Let us see how far the Conservatives' proposals will be taken by the Labour government and implemented.

When Less is Best

Thursday's Daily  Telegraph says it well. It is not something new.

Studies have shown that we can save the planet by consuming less and by cutting on our wastes. We are to go back and do as our forefathers did. Eat less meat and reduce, reuse and recycle.

The report by the UK Government agency in charge of cutting waste, WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), pointed out that one third of what we throw can still be used. So they are suggesting that we do not buy new things but rent them because by doing so, less goods are manufactured and thrown in landfill, therefore cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Being thrifty always helps, especially when times are bad.

Items that you can rent include tableware, gardening tools, new electronic gadgets, ski equipment, clothes, telephones and cars.

It was reported that the UK Government is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by a third by 2020. The research found that better use of resources, by cutting down on packaging and boosting recycling - as well as consumer lifestyle changes - could cut 254 million tonnes or up to 10 per cent of that target over the next ten years.

Changing consumer behaviour is going to be very challenging for any society. A lot has to be done to educate society that you can reduce greenhouse gases simply by using less and consuming resources more efficiently.

So eat less meat, wear used clothes and reduce,  reuse and recycle whatever and whenever you can.

Green Incentives in 2010 budget

Green is the way to go for the Malaysian government! The new budget tabled by the Finance Minister who is also the Prime Minister on Friday offers the following incentives to promote green technology:

• Stamp duty exemption for buyers of buildings with Green Building Index certificates
• Tax exemption equivalent to the additional capital expenditure to obtain Green Building Index certificates from Oct 24 this year to Dec 31, 2014
• RM1.5 billion soft loan for companies using green technology
• RM20 million to intensify awareness on green activities
• Putrajaya and Cyberjaya to be developed as pioneer townships in green technology 

I think the budget is good for starters. It should spur developers to build environment friendly residential homes and offices. Entrepreneurs will now be encouraged to create more sustainable businesses.

So folks in Putrajaya and Cyberjaya, buckle up!You must be ready to set the trend and become green pioneers in the Green Revolution.

DIY Eco Home

Yesterday's news on a couple turning their double storey home eco-friendly was something to ponder about. Everyone should listen up and follow their example. Maybe the authorities should give tax incentives for houseowners to convert their home to make them 'green'. This would get the architects and contractors to put on their thinking caps and get creative. At the same time, everyone does his bit to help Mother Earth.

Click this link for details.

Birds and Trees

The bird photos are taken from Google images because I couldn't capture the birds in photo. They simply flew away.

(This is my rambutan tree. The fruits are really fabulous.)

(This tree was planted by my late father. It is a nearly extinct species.)

The birds have had it. The report in today's Star says it all.

Lowland birds are flying to higher grounds. This is an indicator that their habitat has been destroyed by deforestation and climate change.

Consultant naturalist on birds, wildlife and bio-diversity Mike Chong said lowland birds such as magpie robins (burung murai) and spotted doves have been spotted in Cameron Highlands.

Chong said temperatures in the mountain had also increased due to global warming, and this had allowed lowland birds to adapt easily to their new habitat.

These lowland birds would then have to compete with highland species if they shared the same food source, habitat and nesting habits.

This could lead to the extinction of either species in the next 10 to 20 years. “There are about 674 bird species in the country. I hope more studies will be conducted on the migration of the lowland birds so that we can properly gauge the effects of climate change,” Mike Chong said in the report.

Meanwhile, Zoo Negara director Dr Mohamad Ngah said birds lose their food source when trees are cut.

“We cannot totally stop development from taking place but as scientists, we can monitor the situation and try to breed endangered species to ensure they do not become extinct,” he said, adding that there were close to 100 bird species observed in the zoo.

The birds are welcomed to my dwelling. Lately, I have had birds chirping happily when my 'jambu bol' and rambutans trees were full of ripe fruits. I do not consider them a menace as I enjoy seeing them flying around my trees. I also have some tree shrews permanently living in my backyard.

As I believe that these creatures are also God's creatures and they can help us get merits for good deeds. Moreover, our fruit trees bear too much sweet fruits that we have to deliver them to our relatives, friends, and neighbors to help us finish them. I also believe that by spreading the bounty, we will be bestowed more in the future and more fruits will be borne, thus adding more goodwill for us.

Malaysia's Hanging garden of BABYLON?

The Star on Tuesday has an interesting article of a garden on the roof. Maybe unlike the hanging gardens of Babylon?

I remember when the former Malaysian Minister of Agriculture, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid suggeseted planting paddy on rooftops, many were cynical and just laughed at him.

He should be smiling now as a garden is blooming at the roof top of the new wing of the 1-Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, some 35 m from the ground.

The garden ( about 2,787sqm,), planted with some 500 species of rare tropical and temperate plants, has recently been opened to the public on weekends.

1-Utama director Datuk Teo Chiang Kok, an avid gardener, was reported to say, “Having a green roof insulates and blocks heat from the roof, thereby decreasing the air-conditioning required to cool the building. (This) allows 1-Utama to conserve energy and be environmentally responsible,”.

The soil mix used for the garden’s flower bed – granulated horticultural carbon – is a planting medium derived from light, compacted and carbonised sawdust that puts to use wood waste that would otherwise be rotting in dumpsites and releasing carbon. This is a green technology developed by a botanist Dr Francis Ng.

“The horticultural carbon is being tested with different plants. The most amazing result is with rice that is grown in containers. It shows that the usual way (submerging rice plants) is not the only way to grow rice.

Unfortunately, the horticultural carbon is not commercially available yet although Ng is trying to encourage the manufacturer and 1-Utama to look into commercial production.

Although the Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s Stormwater Management Manual was introduced in 2001, it remains only a guideline. Commercial building developers are not legally required to implement it in their projects.)

The owners of 1- Utama has led the way by collecting rainwater to water the garden.
The rainwater is diverted from the roof and stored in specially built reservoirs in the basement in all Bandar Utama commercial buildings, namely the extended wing of 1-Utama Shopping Centre, the Centrepoint Neighbourhood Centre, the IBM-KPMG Plaza and the One World Hotel. The harvested water is used for flushing toilets, watering plants and also supplied to the cooling tower of the air-conditioning system.

“However, the rainwater collected is not sufficient to flush all the toilets. It only saves us 30% of the total water consumption in the new wing,” says Alfred Chong, landscape manager of Bandar Utama City Centre, the subsidiary of Bandar Utama Group which manages the commercial units.

The company’s pioneering effort closely follows the growing importance given to rooftop space by city authorities worldwide.

Last month, Toronto (in Canada) approved a bylaw that requires new residential units over six storeys, schools as well as commercial and industrial buildings to have up to 50% green roof coverage. Chicago (in the United States) offers incentives to builders who put green roofs on their buildings.

It has been estimated that if all the roofs in a major city were “greened,” urban temperatures could be reduced by as much as 7°C.

Originally, a green roof was one where vegetation partially or completely cover the roof surface over a water-proofing membrane.But the term has since taken on an expanded meaning to include green technologies that are introduced on that space, like harvesting of rainwater and harnessing solar energy through a photovoltaic panel.

High rise dwellers will soon be growing their food on roof tops next. Tan Sri Sanusi's dream has come true! Now who's laughing?

At Last The Government Goes Green too

At last a Ministry called The Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water is born in Malaysia.I don't know the specific areas being monitored by each ministry but I think the other Ministries; Science, Technology and Innovation, Natural Resources and Environment, and Plantation Industries and Commodities, all could do with adopting green technology themselves. The problem in our small country is often that the Ministries overlap each other in their functions. It could be good in the sense that no one is monopolising everything which leads to corrupt practices. It could also lead to confusion to the various government agencies and to the public at large as to whom to turn too when they face a problem. They may have to go to so many places before a solution is found.

Anyway, green is the way forward for a sustainable Malaysia. I can live with that.