Adaptability vs Social Justice

Climate change adaptation is about development and in turn development is about social justice. This is a truth fact as unsustainable development will lead to man made disaster occurrence and cumulative effect will later become the catalyst to negative change of nature phenomenon. While every Government aims to improve the social and economic status of its citizenry, development lacks of equity and justice will create greater social gap. Building affordable houses in the land not suitable for other use will further expose the dwellers with haphazard and high risk on health, hygiene and accessibility in which scarce resources possessed by this group will be drained faster and further. For example, spending on medical and transportation will increase.

Adaptability of an individual or community or even a country is very much depended on their capacity. Capacity can be in the range of resources such as financial, mechanism, machinery and equipment as well as the knowledge and skill acquired. In most of the developing countries, poverty is the main concern. Poor people is more vulnerable as most of their time is spent to work for survival and to improve their livelihood instead of acquiring knowledge and skills or even to equip themselves for adaptation. Asking them to spare resources and time to combat the extreme weather, flooding or drought for instance is almost an impossible task. This is not the question of they do not want to, but simply cannot afford to do so.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

Many have been learned about climate change mitigation and adaptation when I attended the Focal Point and Expert Group Discussion and Training Workshop in Manila recently. Result of COP 17 (Conference of Parties) held in Durban last year was deliberated by officers from UNEP and followed by presentation from the ICLEI: Local Government for Sustainability, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, France Development Agency and provincial and local government from Philippines. While many countries have national action plan and programmes on mitigation countering the climate change, adaptation is relatively new for some disaster-less countries like Malaysia. For countries constantly visited by natural disaster such as typhoon, earthquake and flooding, adaptation is about life saving, property loss and resilient to sudden changes and adjusting back to normal life the soonest possible after disaster.

However, mitigation and adaptation is inseparable, both need to be tackle hand in hand. While sea water level up, extreme weather, rainfall intensity and others weather change are inevitable now, the phenomenon can be reduced and avoided with collective efforts from all mankind and nation through mitigation measures. For example, releasing the green house gases by individual is something within our control and influence. But saying is easy than done as under the capitalism system, people are rewarded for their efforts and hence tend to spend in material for the enjoyment of their hard work. It is nothing wrong to reward own-self by showering ourselves with the material gain and so on. However, if it comes to spending lavish on exclusive item with less actual use but mainly for the purpose of showing off or eating more than what require for filling in the stomach or worse throwing away the unfinished food, then these kind of consumption pattern should be corrected.

However, after Kyoto Protocol and now COP 17 is on going without definite conclusion, the World is still struggle on reaching consensus on shared responsibility. We cannot agree amongst each other because everyone is protecting their social-economy interest. No country wants to loss out to others unless force to accept the agreement due to own vulnerability, a key word in ability of a country or community to adapt the climate change.

Art of Rejecting

Rejecting someone especially those close to you or the next of kin is very difficult. As human, we tend to concur with what our close allies trying to convince us and hence to buy in the idea. However, at time rejecting something is unavoidable especially if it will threaten your position, value or interest. For example, if someone request to borrow money beyond your capability, then it is right for you to reject it. Rejecting can be done in a casual and cordial manner rather than a hash situation in which the relationship might have affected. This, itself is an art.

When it comes to public office, the general public tend to make tonnes of requests without considering the other factors. Some residents, for instance made many requests for upgrading the infrastructure and facilities in their neighbourhood without considering others might have similar request. Some might want to have a community hall in their area without acknowledging that such facility is in place within the vicinity of the neighbourhood. Under such circumstances, rejecting outright should have to be done politely or else the public office will invite more criticism. Of course, rejecting should have been done with fact and figure as well as logical explanation.

Rejecting by pushing away the solution to others is not a right thing to do. However, it is a reality of life that many of us trying to push request not in our flavour to others. Sometime we do not like the idea but shy of saying so, instead of rejecting it we will suggest the proponent to try elsewhere. For example, a public ask for help from a department but was pushed around to other department as nobody want to help beyond their own boundary of work or with the reason of not my duty. However, we have to be mindful that when a public steps into an agency, he will only consider the agency as one and will not be able to differentiate particular department. Under such circumstances, help should be extending and exercising the art of rejecting here is not wise, I presume.

Public Participation

Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP) organised a discussion on public participation in planning last Saturday prior to the holding of an Extra Ordinary General Meeting discussing the proposed amendment to the Constitution. A resident was invited to share his experiences and thoughts on public participation in particular their involvement in public objection process. He reckoned that as a lay man, it is very difficult for them to put up their case as professional as it can or supported their claim and experiences with technical data or analysis. As a NGO on voluntary basis, they are also facing with lack of resources and expertise. Thereby, asking them to have professional discourse without too emotional and setimental attached over a proposed development project is always a difficult task. The public at large definitely need some input and help from the professional individual or bodies. It is time for Institute like MIP to provide pro-buno services providing advisory, educating and facilitating role for general public to understand constructive planning so that decision making process can be participatory in nature.

The discussion also brought up interesting scope of public participation. It was argued that what residents are interested at the moment is public objection, objecting to all development projects. Public participation is more than public objection during the planning permission process stage. Stakeholders can be and shall involve themselves during the development plan preparation stage so that their views on future development direction and form can be co-determined. However, this is seldom highlighted and given proper focus. Many time we witnessed cool response from the public in plan exhibition and objection stage. Only when it come to actual development proposal, we saw people come out in full force stated their opinion. This should not be the case in which public representation should be done equally important during the plan preparation and development control stage. I presume people is not doing so during plan preparation stage as while some is handicapped with the technical knowledge, many just simply have apathy (I do not care) attitude. Hence, education and capacity building is important in which I reckoned that MIP can play an important role outreaching the mass. Perhaps local planning authorities should also do more to proactively engaging the people in soliciting their views, small or big and silly or constructive. Effective communication and public relation exercise is definitely order of the day.

Making Peace During War Time

I attended a management meeting last week and one of the interesting point raised by the Chair of the meeting is everyone in the market place has no time to take a real rest time as we have to either preparing the war during peaceful time or making peace during war time. Either way we have to make good preparation. Confucius and Sun Tze once said in ancient time that as a leader we need to worry first before others about things during good time or else you yourself is no more other than the ordinary people. This is rightly so because the leader is leading and he has to think well ahead and prepare for any untoward happenings or else he might have caught off guard for any eventuality. Under such circumstance, he is not fit any more to lead the followers who might have listen and follow the instructions as given. Of course, some might have just lamented that any untoward happening is the act of God or factors beyond their control or influence but no one will admit of miscalculation of misjudgement.

Having said this, of course not many will be able to sense and feel the right timing. Is now a war time or peaceful time is very much depended on who you have forwarded the question to. For example, although many are preparing for the rainy day anticipating that 2012 will be a difficult year because of the global economic slow down and domestic political uncertainty scenario, the government servants that I met up might have thought differently. Those having secure and protected career, fix income and stable life will not bother much about the surrounding disturbance as long as their life style is maintained and no drastic changes are taking place.

For those preparing for the war during peaceful time, it is of course an opportunity for better thing to come during a rainy time. They are with them sufficient resources and energy to capture what have been good and "cheap" for them.

For local authority, now must be the time to showcase to the stakeholders that we are care and concern about them. We are here to facilitate them overcoming the hardship or even developing wider opportunities for them during this difficult time. People are concerned about cost and ease of doing business. Is it chances for us to think about lowering the cost and easing the procedure of conducting business. I certainly think so.

Sustainable Development in Practice

I was at the Golden Palm Trees Resort of Sepang Gold Coast attending a wedding dinner last December. This is the first time i went there after hearing so much about the Dubai-alike resort in which villas are built over the sea water. Villas are linked with concrete walkways from the beach front onto the sea side. It is a plesant 5 minutes walk from the reception building to the individual villas which are clustered around the central podium building housed the swimming pool and cafe. Swimming in the pool surrounded by the sea water can be a good experience, I guess. It must be one of the attraction for many visitors coming over for a weekend retreat. The resort is promoting green consumption in which notices reminding the guests of caring about environment can be seen in the villas and common public area. This is rightly so as a clean and green environment is why people come over to the resort.

This, definitely vindicates the balance between and co-exist of environment and economy, 2 important but some how rather difficult to get along dimension of development.

Green Year 2012

I would like to start the Year of 2012 refreshing on what has transpired last year. It must be a fruitful and good year for Green Movement of Petaling Jaya moving forward as many focuses have been given to initiatives that are initiated by the Petaling Jaya City Council. Many were pioneering moves and become a popular talk amongst the residents and local authorities, even the moves are commended by readers of newspaper. Below are some of the listing of all paper cuttings about green efforts done by the Petaling Jaya Low Carbon Green City Task Force. It is a remarkable achievement considering that the Task Force of Petaling Jaya Low Carbon Green City has been only 1 year old. Many innovative and creative actions have been implemented. Kudos to the members of the Task Force which includes the councillors, departmental representatives and NGOs.

First Local Authority in Asia offering Green Rebate on Property Assessment

Elderly go green to stay active:

Year-end Goodies

Proposal to give rebate to those adopt the green way:

Pro Environment Policy gets the thumbs up:

PJ Gearing towards A Green City

Recognised for their green contribution

Awareness Talk on Climate Change

Harness Positive Thinking for the Environment:

Greener 2012 Budget for MBPJ:

MBPJ Budget: Residents seek more participation:

First of its kind: Free parking for hybrid-car buyers in PJ

PJ Folks invited to Nominate the Green Figure

49 Residents got Rebate for Green Efforts:

MBPJ's Effort is Commendable:

PJ residents advised to recycle items that are still in good condition:

Surprises in MBPJ budget:

PJ City Council introduces several initiatives to inculcate environment-saving habits:

Macau team visits MBPJ to exchange ideas and experiences:

Mayor PJ cycling to work:

MBPJ to hold recycling used cooking oil for biodiesel contest:

MBPJ Leading in Low Carbon Efforts, Focusing on 6 Areas of Environment:

Green Cities start with low carbon and CO2 emission reduction:

Green PJ Half Marathon:

Green Budget 2012 of MBPJ:

Green Rebate for PJ House Owners:

MBPJ declares Engine Off Zone: