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Malaysia Best Practices

Iskandar Malaysia Low Carbon Society

By: Boyd D Joeman, Head, Environment Division, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)

 

Date: May 23, 2019

Iskandar Malaysia Low Carbon Society

Iskandar Malaysia (IM) is the main southern development corridor in Johor, Malaysia, with a total area of 2,217 square Kilometre (Km2), and covers FIVE local planning authorities (Johor Bahru DIstrict, Kulai District, Pontian District, Kota Tinggi District, and Kluang District).

Envisioning “a Strong and Sustainable Metropolis of International Standing”, the development corridor launched its Low Carbon Society Blueprint 2025, at the end of 2012. The Blueprint has served as a guide for policy-makers, businesses, NGOs and others into going green. Potential reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Corridor was mapped into 12 Actions grouped into 3 Themes, and with a total of 281 Programmes.

 

BEST PRACTICE COMPONENTS

 

Key Climate Challenges ·              IM is an economic corridor with concentrations of GHG emitting industrial and commercial activities.

·              Flash/surface flood which has affected cities and assets/services—water supply and sanitation, transport, and waste management. The frequency and intensity of the floods have been expected to increase. Heavier flood might have also occurred during the high tide as many parts of IM are low-lying.

Policy and Governance related to the Activity/ Program IM’s development, laid out in “Comprehensive Development ii of Iskandar Malaysia (2014 – 2025 )” has integrated the Low Society Blueprint in the Iskandar Malaysia Holistic Eco-system endeavour:

“A resilient ecosystem, anchored by wealth generators, creating regional wealth that is to be shared equally among communities. Wealth generation and wealth sharing, balanced by optimal use of ecological assets, to enhance the Quality of Life in Iskandar Malaysia, turning it into a leading global region. Together with this, spatial management and good governance would enable the realisation of its Vision and goals by 2025”.

Main Stakeholders and Affiliations National and international academic institutions and a multilateral institution

 

Affiliations

·              The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM)

·              SE4ALL – Sustainable Energy for All (under Global Energy Efficiency Program)

·              The Lima-Paris Action Agenda (under SE4All)

Financing of the Activity / Program
Beneficiary and Number benefitted Community, commercial, and industrial sectors in 5 districts (Johor Bahru DIstrict, Kulai District, Pontian District, Kota Tinggi District, and Kluang District)
Methodology, Tools and Mechanisms

 

The Blueprint has formulated 12 Actions grouped into 3 Themes with a total of 281 Programmes; and wherein Each Action contains an analysis, list of programmes and potential reduction of GHG emission.

Research

·              IM Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies on Shoreline Ecosystems aims to streamline coastal initiatives from public, private, local and scientific communities

 

Guidelines/Plan

·              Low Carbon Development Cycle

·              Green Economy Guidelines, which has been implemented through advisory, business seminars, green projects etc.

·              Sungai Pulai Management Plan is completed in 2017 with an aim to ensure the Ramsar site is well managed and serves as a carbon sink for IM.

·              Integrated Coastal Erosion Prevention Plan

 

Tools

·              Building Energy Monitoring & Reporting System (BEMRS) in collaboration with Tokyo Metropolitan Government and 5 Local Authorities in Iskandar Malaysia.

·              A customised comprehensive built environment assessment tool (CASBEE) for Iskandar Malaysia. 3 CASBEE Manuals for Building, Municipal & City as well as pilot projects are completed.

 

Award

·              Green Accord Initiative Award is a recognition for green initiatives in townships, industrial and commercial buildings, and individual property

Technologies used by and Technological aspects of the Activity / Program
Targets, Results and Achievements ·              Completed 6 stages of the Low Carbon Development Cycle—1) Base Year Inventory, 2) Future Scenario Analysis, 3) Target Setting, 4) Action Plan, 5) Implementation, 5) Tracking Performance.

·              A 13 % reduction in GHG emission intensities during 2010 – 2017 period. Reduced intensity from 0.248 to 0.2158 kilo tonnes of carbon dioxide per million Ringgit Malaysia (ktCO2-e/RM Million).

·              403 schools, 40,000 students were reached by the Iskandar Malaysia Eco Life Challenge which focused on energy household accounting and the raising children’s awareness on and adoption of low carbon lifestyle.

 

Key Factors Contributing to Success ·              Visionary development mission in “Iskandar Malaysia Holistic Ecosystem”, anchored in wealth generation, wealth sharing, resource optimization and low carbon development.

·              Good governance which enables policy implementation to realise IM’s Vision and goals by 2025”.

Sustainability Issues and Challenges in the Activity/ Program
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