MALAYSIA PLEDGE TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS TO 40% BY 2020

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's pledge to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40% by 2020, compared to 2005 levels, demonstrates the seriousness the Malaysian government attaches to climate change, said British High Commissioner to Malaysia Boyd McCleary.

He said the United Kingdom welcomed the statement on this by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Copenhagen climate change summit Thursday.

• "The Prime Minister's willingness to put a figure on the table can only help the talks taking place in Copenhagen," he said in a statement here Friday.
• McCleary said the UK government agreed with Najib that moving towards to a low-carbon economy was the only sensible path and offered significant opportunities for emerging economies.
• "I hope that Malaysia's pledge and the other offers made by developed and developing countries will help us achieve an ambitious global agreement in Copenhagen to prevent dangerous climate change," he said.
• On Thursday, Malaysia agreed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 2020, subject to assistance from developed countries.
• In his speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 at Copenhagen, Najib said the cut was conditional upon receiving transfer of technology and adequate financing from the developed world.
• United Nations data shows Malaysia's carbon emissions in 2006 stood at 187 million tonnes or 7.2 tonnes from each Malaysian.

Source: Bernama