The word about global warming has been around for decades, but looking at the newspapers everyday, there is only a minimal amount of awareness being spread about. Global warming, in short, is a phenomenon where the compositions of the earth’s atmosphere are changed and thickened due to green house gasses. As a result, the heat from the sun, carried by light rays, which usually bounce off the earth’s surface and exits into outer space are now trapped in the earth’s atmosphere.
One of the many possible reasons that is being spotted by Al Gore, and as presented by him in his speech titled “An Inconvenient Truth” , is that world leaders, or politicians, are just not interested in handling this matter. In his speech, he distinguished the traditional as well as the current way of explaining the threat about global warming. While the traditional method of explaining global warming tends to be more scientific and informative, the current method, expressed in a short cartoon film, shows the ignorance of politicians towards this ever-growing problem..
A global initiative by the United Nations, called the Kyoto Protocol, is “an international agreement for the control of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions binding industrialized countries to specific reduction targets” (Embassy of Denmark, 2008). I am proud to say that Malaysia has been part of this protocol since September 2002.
Being part of the Kyoto Protocol, the Malaysian government has opened up new revenues for projects in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in the energy sector. The challenge for the CDM energy developers is to produce energy, or electricity with reduced amount of carbon emission within a given limit.
The Malaysian government could introduce heavier penalties to mitigate the emissions of greenhouse gasses within the country. These encompass fines and imprisonment for actions such as deforestation as well as forest burning.
Last but not least, following Al Gore’s example, speeches by experts in global warming can be carried out to create a greater awareness among people. The effects might not be as big as government movements, but nevertheless it still poses an impact to those who care to listen.
A quote from Al Gore’s speech reads “the era of procrastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences” (Sir Winston Churchill, Nov 12, 1936). Global organizations such as the United Nations are already taking initiative to curb the greenhouse gas emissions. We, as civilians, can reduce our carbon emission too.
So, the question is:
Are you ready to change?
You have outlined some of the developments Malaysia has instituted to limit emissions, but you need to give the specific details of how CDM developers will limit emissions for the post to really be clear.
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