Kuala Lumpur, 21-22 March 2022 | As the host of GCoM Southeast Asia Secretariat, UCLG ASPAC supported a two-day GCoM National Training in Malaysia generously hosted by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur or DBKL). Focusing on Climate Change Mitigation, the training aimed to spread the knowledge and reach out to more cities and local governments to join hands in reducing climate impacts. The event was held in Kuala Lumpur Regional Training Centre (KLRTC), on a hybrid mode, and attended by 27 participants from 12 local governments.
At the opening session, representatives from the GCoM Asia Project, the GCoM SEA Secretariat, the European Union Delegation (EUD) to Malaysia, and the Ministry of Environment and Water (Kementerian Alam Sekitar dan Air/KASA) delivered their remarks. Ms. Asih Budiati (GCoM Asia Project) mentioned that the time has come for Malaysian cities to be proactive, internalise climate externalities, and further collaborate in strategic partnerships to meet the carbon neutrality target at the city level. This notion was emphasised by Mr. Francesco Floris (EUD) who encouraged the cities to become a part of the solution through the GCoM Asia Project, a place where cities can gain support from their peers to meet their ambitious targets. Speaking from the perspective of the national government, Mr. Ahmad Farid (KASA) said that one of the most notable initiatives KASA has implemented was the development of the National Climate Change Act, which covers topics such as mitigation, adaptation, data and information disclosure, finance, as well as a compliance mechanism, and education & awareness (CEPA).
After the remarks, the event proceeded to a panel discussion involving Mr. Muhammad Ridzwan (KASA) and Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah (Mayor of Kuala Lumpur City) representing the Malaysian Association of Local Authorities (MALA). Mr, Ridzwan shared the federal government’s perspective on the policy framework, especially on the strategy to achieve Malaysia’s determined contribution and long-term strategy for low carbon development and climate resilience. In light of that, Datuk Seri Mahadi shared the challenges and opportunities of local governments in Malaysia in relation to the energy and climate sectors.
The training participants, then, learned exemplary practices from other local governments. In this regard, four local government representatives shared their best practices on various topics. Ms. Rohzaina Zainal (Melaka Historic City Council Melaka) highlighted the pairing between Melaka and Nuovi Circindario Imolese (NCI) Bologna, Italy, to develop joint actions on nature and culture, joint policies, research centres, and study tours. Ms. Josephine Tan (Penang Green Council) shared Penang Green Agenda (PGA) 2030, which comprises four themes: liveability, economy, people, and built-environment. Dr. Henry Chan (Conservation Director, WWF Malaysia) delivered a presentation on Green Economy in the Heart of Borneo showcasing two inspired projects namely The Living Landscapes and Securing the Future: Net Zero Pathways for Malaysia. Lastly, Mr. Simon Christopher (BlueHope Sabah) explained Sabah Plastic Neutral, a vision supported by some ongoing projects in Sabah.
As part of the knowledge exchange activity, the participants were divided into 5 groups to discuss one of the following assigned topics: low-carbon buildings; waste and water management; land use, agriculture, and forestry; transport and mobility; and energy and industry. Furthermore, participants were advised to merely focus on the top three challenges and/or good practices related to emissions reductions which aimed to ensure the participants captured inputs within the time frame and disclosed how they plan to achieve the low-hanging fruits and their thought process to ensure implementation was practical with tangible outcomes that could be measured effectively.
Following the group discussion, the participants were asked to involve in three hands-on exercises by Ms. Valentina Palermo (Joint Research Centre). First, they learned how to calculate GHG emissions, which is the first step in building the pillar for mitigation. Second, Ms. Valentina shared insights on quantity reduction of emissions with city delegates by walking through the steps in completing the excel workbook (baseline scenario target). Lastly, the participants were given a case problem related to public transportation and were invited to attempt the final workbook on planning mitigation action.
The training was concluded with a field visit to Bunus River Community Garden and the People’s Housing Project of Kepong. These visits were intended to learn about several programmes by DBKL in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this activity, delegates were able to interact and have dialogues with stakeholders involved in the related programmes.
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Written and reviewed by: Rona Ikram Putri
