Climate Change Forum

Last Tuesday, I attended a public forum on "Climate Change: reducing threats and enhancing opportunities" organised by the British High Commission.

Discussions revolved around the Stern Review, however the focus quickly diverted to other matters, especially deforestation and ongoing efforts to ensure sustainable and responsible deforestation and development. One of the ways used to do that was to provide monetary incentives for countries that replant forests. I don't exactly know what governs this (anybody who does, please tell me) although along the way, emissions trading was brought up. That's where I got all messed up. I couldn't see the link, since emissions trading is a mechanism of trading credits for carbon emissions rather than providing incentives for replanting forests.

Anyway, amidst all this discussion, I couldn't help but draw a parallel. Let's say you want a child to do well in his/her studies. One way to do it is to offer him rewards for doing well in his studies. The problem with this approach is it instills a wrong motive for studying. Another way is to actually educate the child as to why he/she needs to do well in studies. That would have a more long-term impact.

So at the back of my mind, I was thinking, wouldn't providing monetary incentives to replant trees be something very short-term? Yes, I understand the reality that money is a strong motivator and that there's an urgency to reduce deforestation, but doesn't education and awareness have a place, especially since it can have long-term benefits even for generations to come?

Other concerns that were brought up during the forum by the floor included:

(1) Reforestation doesn't provide the biodiversity that originally existed, i.e. we plant only a few kinds of trees within xxx hectares of land, whereas originally xxx hectares of land had an abundant variety of plant species. (See? We humans try to play god but we'll never get it right...God is the only God, one and only sovereign Creator)

(2) Why there were only monetary incentives for reforestation, and not for maintenance of existing forests.

(3) Why such efforts were not also extended to coral reefs as well. When Julian Hyde of Reef Check brought this up, I was like "amen!". Not so much to the incentives part, but to the fact that a lot of times, coral reefs are overlooked for whatever reasons. I know, I know, I'm biased because I'm a sea lover cum scuba diver, but coral reefs and marine life have an integral role in the environment and cannot be overlooked!

Speaking of maintenance of existing forests vis-a-vis reforestation, Malaysia is one of the countries pushing for incentives. A member of the floor asked a very good question: what would Malaysia's stand be if we didn't get such incentives for preserving our forests?

The panel member from the Ministry of Natural Resource & Environment replied that no matter what happens, the fight to preserve forests will continue, because money is not the motivator for it. Forests are a national heritage to be preserved. (agreed...love forests...but again, what about coral reefs??!! Malaysia has such a rich abundance of them, even the legendary Jacque Cousteau was mesmerised by Sipadan) He acknowledged that it's not going to be easy, because at the root of it, it's up to individual Malaysians to be responsible. Ministry efforts want to center more on education and awareness so as to reach out to individual Malaysians on the importance and value of preserving our environment.

The forum ended on that note, and I'm glad that it ended that way. He got an applause for his commitment, and I pray that it will come to fruition. We humans were commissioned by God to rule over the earth (Genesis 1:28). Let's do it responsibly.