AMME-18: Logging And Plastic Waste Pose Serious Threat To Biodiversity

LANGKAWI, Sept 4 (Bernama) – Climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution were the main focus of the three-day 18th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME-18) here, to ensure sustainable development efforts are achieved in line with international commitments.

Acting Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said climate change is a global challenge that needs to be addressed collectively, and Malaysia is no exception in playing an important role.

“Whether we like it or not, we have to get involved and play a role in the climate change happening in the world today, just as we signed an agreement with the United Nations to jointly participate in controlling this climate change,” he told reporters after attending the ASEAN Plus Three Environmental Ministers Meeting (APT-EMM) here today.

He also emphasised that the issue of biodiversity loss is a major concern, particularly due to logging and deforestation activities that affect the country’s forest treasures.

“When we lose our biodiversity because we engage in deforestation, we lose our forests because we don’t take care of them, and indirectly, all this biodiversity is lost,” he said.

On pollution, Johari said the use of plastic needs to be controlled because it has long-term effects on the environment.

“We think it is easy to use plastics, but plastics are very difficult to decompose. That’s why I’ve been emphasising recently that we want to solve the plastic issue,” he explained.

He also emphasised the government’s stance to stop the import of plastic and waste from abroad for reasons of a circular economy.

“We cannot bring in plastic from abroad or waste from abroad into our country under the pretext of the circular economy, and then the balance is dumped in our landfills. I’ve already ordered it to stop,” he also said.

According to him, the issue has also received the approval of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who emphasised that Malaysia does not want to become the world’s plastic waste dumping ground.

AMME-18, which began on Tuesday, brought together ASEAN environment ministers and senior officials to discuss regional cooperation in ensuring sustainability and inclusive environmental management.

BERNAMA

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