kuala lumpur: The government has set an ambitious target of reducing carbon intensity in gross domestic product by up to 45 per cent by 2030, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Nor Hayati Awang.
This is in line with the global goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, amid growing global awareness of climate change as seen in calls for sustainable solutions, she added.
She stressed that the Ministry places due emphasis on the importance of public awareness regarding the significant impacts of collective actions on the environment.
“Although Malaysia’s share of global greenhouse gas emissions is only 0.69 per cent, the government remains committed to reducing the country’s carbon emissions,” she said at the Carbon Neutral Computing Services (CNCS) launch, jointly organised by Hewlett-Packard (HP) and ICT Zone Asia Pvt. Ltd. today.
Noor Hayati said the goal is to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions while balancing economic needs and public welfare.
“NRES aims to identify and encourage affordable solutions that benefit the masses, even amid economic uncertainty,” she added.
She said top priorities include a national contribution roadmap and a long-term low-emissions development strategy.
“These policies aim to lead Malaysia towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a sustainable future for future generations,” she added.
Noor Hayati said the widespread use of electronic devices has significantly changed daily life and business activities. “The technological revolution has led to a significant increase in e-waste and Malaysia needs to shift its focus from a linear economy to a circular economy to address this growing concern.”
She said Malaysia has taken steps to adopt a circular economy through various policies such as the National Sustainable Consumption and Production Blueprint 2016, the National Solid Waste Management Policy 2016, the Malaysian Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 and the National Cleanliness Policy 2020-2030.
“These policies will encourage Malaysians to take steps to manage e-waste through the implementation of the circular economy concept.”
She said the launch of CNCS was a major step forward and aims to balance the carbon emissions generated by information technology devices through energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy sources and high-quality carbon credits that will offset the remaining emissions.
HP Malaysia managing director Alex Tan said HP is committed to reducing its overall environmental footprint through this initiative. “This strengthens our operations with the most sustainable portfolio of products and solutions in the industry. As of 2023, HP’s carbon footprint has decreased by 27% compared to 2019.”
He said HP’s CNCS gives customers two options to reduce the carbon footprint associated with their personal computers: “To the Door,” in which HP’s PCs are delivered carbon neutral to the customer’s doorstep, offsetting the manufacturing and transportation emissions, and “Lifecycle,” in which the PCs remain carbon neutral throughout their expected lifespan, with HP offsetting the manufacturing and transportation emissions.
