By Vijian Paramasivam
PHNOM PENH, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul has warned that neglecting climate change is causing immense suffering to vulnerable communities and damaging the planet, underscoring the need for urgent action.
He said the climate crisis was no longer solely an environmental issue, but was also affecting economies and threatening public health, food and energy security.
“It is worrying; our leaders don’t even talk about it, and some lawmakers are not educated on this issue. Why are we cutting down trees? Why have we never thought of solar, wind or (ocean) wave energy?
“When we want more energy, we burn coal (to fuel power plants). What we need is climate change subjects taught in schools; we need more R&D (research and development) and investments in technology,” Johari told Bernama on the sidelines of the Second Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC-2) in Phnom Penh on Friday.
The conference was held for three days from Aug 26.
He said policymakers need to invest more in early education and R&D, and harness technology to combat the impacts of climate change affecting every segment of society.
Johari’s warning came days after devastating floods swept across Nepal, killing hundreds and destroying homes and livelihoods, exposing the growing vulnerability of communities to extreme weather events.
According to preliminary reports, the disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, which flooded river systems along the Nepal-China border.
As of Friday, 469 people had been confirmed dead, and 2,381 remained missing, including 644 foreign nationals, according to The Himalayan Times.
Several Malaysians are still missing in the tragedy.
From mountainous Nepal in South Asia to landlocked Laos in Southeast Asia, communities across the region face recurring climate-related disasters.
Millions of people, especially in rural communities, live under the shadow of constant threats from flash floods, storms, landslides, and tropical typhoons, which destroy farmland and key infrastructure.
The Philippines alone suffers from about 20 typhoons annually.
“When you look at climate issues, it is a global issue. Talking about it is one thing; eliminating that problem is the essence of everything. We need the political will and leadership to overcome this, and the gap between the haves and have-nots is growing," said Johari.
Speaking passionately about the issue, he pointed to China’s long-term strategy to promote green technology to protect the environment, including building eco-friendly technologies, electric vehicles, and expansion of green space.
Scientists continue to warn that climate change is driving rising temperatures and sea levels and changing rainfall patterns, increasing risks to communities and ecosystems.
Days before the ISC-2, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet warned of rising water levels in the Mekong River and urged riverine communities to stay alert.
“We do not have the capacity to prevent natural disasters 100 per cent, but we must build resilience, especially a working system that can respond to risks arising from natural disasters,” he said on Tuesday.
-- BERNAMA