HEADS of Bruneian environmental conservation organisations are hopeful for more commitment from countries to achieve carbon emission reduction targets in the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) which started in Paris yesterday.
In a phone interview with The Brunei Times, Lin Ji, president of BruWILD – a non-government organisation aimed to inform Bruneians on climate change – said countries attending the summit should be more determined in their efforts at curbing climate change.
Understanding the difficulty in reducing green house gas emissions, she added that it is crucial the countries achieve their targets as it doesn’t just affect the environment but all aspects including social, political and of economy.
She noted that the biggest contributors of carbon emission include China and the US and if they reach a decision which effectively reduces the countries’ carbon emissions, it would have a great impact to keep the rate of global warming low.
Similarly, the President of Green Brunei, Khairunnisa Ash’ari, said that a stronger commitment from China and US will bring a greater impact, leading other nations to commit as well.
“I hope that the governments will actively engage with stakeholders in combatting climate change and pave the way towards sustainable development.”
She added: “I am looking forward to reading about Brunei’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) and see how we from the youth and non-government organisations (NGOs) can contribute.”
According to the Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) 2013 report, China emits around 10 million kilotonnes (ktons) of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from use of fossil fuel and industrial processes. Meanwhile, the US emits around five million ktons.
In a The Brunei times article published in October, the Ministry of development appointed a global sustainability consultancy firm to undertake the task of preparing Brunei to submit its INDC report to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat.
INDCs submitted by countries will be used to determine collective action.
Brunei, through its forest conservation project with Malaysia and Indonesia – the Heart of Borneo – recognises the need for a long-term goal in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, among other important environmental issues.
COP21, for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, aims to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate between more than 130 countries, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2°C.
Any higher than that, it is internationally and scientifically agreed as dangerous global warming potentially contributing to the 30 per cent rise in CO2 since the Industrial Revolution.
Source: The Brunei Times