.
I try hard, by my work as well as writing,to protect a environment. you comprehend which you am not alone - countless alternative people have been additionally operative tirelessly in assorted capacities within a government, NGOs as well as private sector.
Despite all a efforts, it is clear which there have been still most basic issues which need to be resolved as well as this can usually occur by intervention from a tip i.e. a Minister of Natural Resources as well as a Environment. Since you am not a Minister, you can usually dream on. BUT if you were a Minister, a tip ten things (in no sold sequence of priority) which you will do are:
(1) Revenue Sharing in in between Federal State Governments
I will remonstrate a Cabinet which a income pity in in between a Federal as well as state governments contingency be restructured if a healthy resources as well as a environment of a nation have been to be stable sustainably. The present intrigue where most of a income generated goes to a Federal supervision forces state governments to rest almost completely upon exploiting healthy resources (forest, minerals, land) to fill up their coffers, as well as this represents probably a biggest threat to a environment. There is simply no incentive for state governments to protect their forests even for tourism, given tourism associated receipts such as make make make use of of of as well as sales tax go to a Federal government. State governments have been during a mercy of a Federal supervision for development grants as well as monetary assistance. you will delineate a intrigue which will give a state governments a improved cut of supervision income whilst giving them larger shortcoming for caring for a environment. you will provide performance-linked incentives to a state governments to protect their forests, H2O catchments, as well as alternative healthy resources.
(2) A More V! isible M inister
I will be some-more visible, some-more outspoken as well as strive to be a face of a countrys ! environm ental management. This sector has a prominence problem. All a key supervision people keep a low profile. The open has got no icon, no hold up to demeanour up to. Forget a notion of you do a work quietly. If a open cannot see us, if a open does know not who you am, dont expect a open to think you have been really working. If a open knows Karam Singh Walia improved than they know me, you have a problem. The nation needs an idol as well as you intend to be that.
(3) Better Support for NGOs
I will continue a make make make use of of of of my predecessors in engaging with NGOs, though you will take this a step further by upon condition which them with larger dignified as well as monetary support. you comprehend which most of a in effect environmental programmes in this country, quite those during a village level, have been implemented as well as funded by NGOs. There have been several environmental NGOs which have been you do glorious work in Malaysia as well as by operative some-more closely with them, you hold a Governments pursuit would be most easier. you will safeguard which my Ministry appreciates as well as takes comment of their eccentric thinking as well as constructive criticism. This undoubtedly calls for tolerance amongst my officers as well as this is something which you will all a time direct upon.
(4) National Transportation Policy
I will cajole (and if compulsory threaten) my colleague, a Minster of Transport, which a National Transportation Policy should be jointly formulated by 3 ministries namely my ministry, Ministry of Transport as well as Ministry of Energy, Water as well as Telecommunications. Transportation has such great impact upon a environment as well as appetite make make make use of of of which it cannot be left usually to a single Minist! ry to de cide. you do not wish a Ministry of Transport to usually invite a single of my officers to lay in a little committee. We wish to be in a joint driving seat. Transportation impacts a environment in so most ways emissions, land use, noise, societal, as well as by appetite use. Sustainable tr! ansport is fundamental to ensuring environmental peculiarity as well as shortening direct for energy.
(5) National Biological Strategy as well as Action Plan
The National Biological Diversity Policy is outdated, so problematic which almost no a single outward my Ministry knows it, sets no targets, provides usually a little deceptive directions as well as was formulated but critical stakeholder engagement. you will safeguard which a brand new National Biodiversity Strategy as well as Action Plan which my Ministry will delineate will holistically address all a requirements of a Convention upon Biological Diversity (CBD). We will set picturesque targets, develop a holistic biodiversity planning framework, with action plans, budget as well as timeframe which will assistance us achieve a targets. And you will do it with due stakeholder engagement. you will safeguard which Malaysia becomes a poster-boy or girl of CBD. you am well-aware which biological diversity is a inhabitant heritage as well as it is a duty to protect it.
(6) Environmental Quality Council
(8) Environmental Awareness as well as Education
I am entirely wakeful which you need to educate a people to improved appreciate their environment. you will work with a Minister of Education to interpose larger environmental bargain in to a propagandize curriculum. While there is a little ongoing bid in this respect, this is not enough. We need to maintain teachers who have been environmentally-sensitive hence a need to expand environmental preparation in teachers ! training . In short, you need an environmental preparation policy, as well as afterwards you need to consistently exercise which policy. We need to be very focused when it comes to formulating recognition you will safeguard which a preparation efforts have been tailored to meet a diverse needs of Malaysians.
(9) Water Resource Management
Too most ministries as well as agencies have been concerned in a supervision of a H2O resources - KTAK, NRE, SPAN, JPS, MOA, DOE, PUAS, LUAS, assorted state agencies as well as local councils, etc. And if you looked during a ! rivers, very quickly you will know which you have not got it right. Overlapping as well as opposing jurisdictions, gaps, responsibilities but authority, miss of tellurian capacity as well as a vagaries of a state-Federal scope of office all supplement to a problem. you will push for a reexamination of these shortcomings, streamline a purposes as well as responsibilities of a assorted agencies, as well as push for larger shortcoming of state governments in H2O resource management. you will additionally give importance to a most grey areas such as catchment supervision as well as protection, sullage discharges, riparian reserves, peculiarity of surface runoff, as well as insurance of stream aquatic life. And you promise to clean up during slightest 1 stream (yes, 1 only) by 2020.
(10) Environmental Legislation
My method as well as a departments underneath it will publicize as well as gazette key environmental legislations as well as amendments which have been critical to plunge in to a little of urgent environment as well as biodiversity associated issues in a country. These embody (i) Marine Parks Act; (ii) Access as well as Benefit Sharing Act; (iii) regulations to control non-point sources of pollution (iv) amend a Federal Constitution to concede larger share of supervision income to states. you will additionally run to enlarge a series of environm! ental cr ew in a supervision to 1 to 10,000 race by 2015. The current rate is about 1 to 14,000 persons (DOE, NREB as well as EPD combined) which equates to which you have to employ about 1,000 crew in in between right away as well as 2015. At a same time, there is an viewable need to significantly boost a staff force during a wildlife as well as forestry departments.
There have been so most things to do as well as so little time or resources. you am wakeful which there have been most some-more things which have been equally important. Combatting illegal trade in wildlife, biosafety, ecolabelling as well as climate change have been usually a few in a ocean of a million things which you have to do.
We cannot live but a environment to support us as well as it des! erves be tter diagnosis than you have been currently giving it. We have a big pursuit to do as well as a earlier you put some-more resources as well as bid in to it, a improved for all a futures.
I try hard, by my work as well as writing,to protect a environment. you comprehend which you am not alone - countless alternative people have been additionally operative tirelessly in assorted capacities within a government, NGOs as well as private sector.
Despite all a efforts, it is clear which there have been still most basic issues which need to be resolved as well as this can usually occur by intervention from a tip i.e. a Minister of Natural Resources as well as a Environment. Since you am not a Minister, you can usually dream on. BUT if you were a Minister, a tip ten things (in no sold sequence of priority) which you will do are:
(1) Revenue Sharing in in between Federal State Governments
I will remonstrate a Cabinet which a income pity in in between a Federal as well as state governments contingency be restructured if a healthy resources as well as a environment of a nation have been to be stable sustainably. The present intrigue where most of a income generated goes to a Federal supervision forces state governments to rest almost completely upon exploiting healthy resources (forest, minerals, land) to fill up their coffers, as well as this represents probably a biggest threat to a environment. There is simply no incentive for state governments to protect their forests even for tourism, given tourism associated receipts such as make make make use of of of as well as sales tax go to a Federal government. State governments have been during a mercy of a Federal supervision for development grants as well as monetary assistance. you will delineate a intrigue which will give a state governments a improved cut of supervision income whilst giving them larger shortcoming for caring for a environment. you will provide performance-linked incentives to a state governments to protect their forests, H2O catchments, as well as alternative healthy resources.
(2) A More V! isible M inister
I will be some-more visible, some-more outspoken as well as strive to be a face of a countrys ! environm ental management. This sector has a prominence problem. All a key supervision people keep a low profile. The open has got no icon, no hold up to demeanour up to. Forget a notion of you do a work quietly. If a open cannot see us, if a open does know not who you am, dont expect a open to think you have been really working. If a open knows Karam Singh Walia improved than they know me, you have a problem. The nation needs an idol as well as you intend to be that.
(3) Better Support for NGOs
I will continue a make make make use of of of of my predecessors in engaging with NGOs, though you will take this a step further by upon condition which them with larger dignified as well as monetary support. you comprehend which most of a in effect environmental programmes in this country, quite those during a village level, have been implemented as well as funded by NGOs. There have been several environmental NGOs which have been you do glorious work in Malaysia as well as by operative some-more closely with them, you hold a Governments pursuit would be most easier. you will safeguard which my Ministry appreciates as well as takes comment of their eccentric thinking as well as constructive criticism. This undoubtedly calls for tolerance amongst my officers as well as this is something which you will all a time direct upon.
(4) National Transportation Policy
I will cajole (and if compulsory threaten) my colleague, a Minster of Transport, which a National Transportation Policy should be jointly formulated by 3 ministries namely my ministry, Ministry of Transport as well as Ministry of Energy, Water as well as Telecommunications. Transportation has such great impact upon a environment as well as appetite make make make use of of of which it cannot be left usually to a single Minist! ry to de cide. you do not wish a Ministry of Transport to usually invite a single of my officers to lay in a little committee. We wish to be in a joint driving seat. Transportation impacts a environment in so most ways emissions, land use, noise, societal, as well as by appetite use. Sustainable tr! ansport is fundamental to ensuring environmental peculiarity as well as shortening direct for energy.
(5) National Biological Strategy as well as Action Plan
The National Biological Diversity Policy is outdated, so problematic which almost no a single outward my Ministry knows it, sets no targets, provides usually a little deceptive directions as well as was formulated but critical stakeholder engagement. you will safeguard which a brand new National Biodiversity Strategy as well as Action Plan which my Ministry will delineate will holistically address all a requirements of a Convention upon Biological Diversity (CBD). We will set picturesque targets, develop a holistic biodiversity planning framework, with action plans, budget as well as timeframe which will assistance us achieve a targets. And you will do it with due stakeholder engagement. you will safeguard which Malaysia becomes a poster-boy or girl of CBD. you am well-aware which biological diversity is a inhabitant heritage as well as it is a duty to protect it.
(6) Environmental Quality Council
I will revitalize a Environmental Quality Council (EQC). The EQC, despite being in life given a coming in to force of a Environmental Quality Act, 1974, has simply not made any impact upon environmental insurance as well as management. It has not, despite a mandate, played a lead role in a development as well as formulation of environmental policies as well as strategies. Forget a layperson - even people in a supervision do not know which such a Council exists. you will safeguard which a EQC does what it is compulsory to do, namely to suggest me. When you sa! y sugges t me, you expect recommendation during a process as well as critical level, recommendation upon a citation to pierce forward, recommendation upon how Department of Environment is doing, as well as recommendation upon where you have been going wrong. A critical priority is a sum examination of a National Environmental Policy. If this requires me to revamp a composition as well as a powers of a Council, together with larger involvement of a states, you will do it.
(7) Environmental Impacts of a Malaysia Development Plans
I will examine a environmental impacts of a 10th Malaysia Plan as well as all alternative subsequent inhabitant plans. For distant too long, a nation has focused upon a tiny picture such as examining a environmental impacts of projects usually as well as discharges from factories. It is time which you started looking during how a critical policies, programmes, as well as plans have been inspiring a environment. For example, you cant censure a farmer for opening farm land in Cameron Highlands - a National Agriculture Policy encourages temperate agriculture. We cant censure TNB for office building coal-fired power plants a Energy Policy explicitly calls for a make make make use of of of of coal. My method will study a environmental impacts of a critical initiatives underneath a 10th Malaysian Plan so which you can recommendation a Cabinet reasonably when a 11th Malaysian Plan is drafted in 3 years time. (8) Environmental Awareness as well as Education
I am entirely wakeful which you need to educate a people to improved appreciate their environment. you will work with a Minister of Education to interpose larger environmental bargain in to a propagandize curriculum. While there is a little ongoing bid in this respect, this is not enough. We need to maintain teachers who have been environmentally-sensitive hence a need to expand environmental preparation in teachers ! training . In short, you need an environmental preparation policy, as well as afterwards you need to consistently exercise which policy. We need to be very focused when it comes to formulating recognition you will safeguard which a preparation efforts have been tailored to meet a diverse needs of Malaysians.
(9) Water Resource Management
Too most ministries as well as agencies have been concerned in a supervision of a H2O resources - KTAK, NRE, SPAN, JPS, MOA, DOE, PUAS, LUAS, assorted state agencies as well as local councils, etc. And if you looked during a ! rivers, very quickly you will know which you have not got it right. Overlapping as well as opposing jurisdictions, gaps, responsibilities but authority, miss of tellurian capacity as well as a vagaries of a state-Federal scope of office all supplement to a problem. you will push for a reexamination of these shortcomings, streamline a purposes as well as responsibilities of a assorted agencies, as well as push for larger shortcoming of state governments in H2O resource management. you will additionally give importance to a most grey areas such as catchment supervision as well as protection, sullage discharges, riparian reserves, peculiarity of surface runoff, as well as insurance of stream aquatic life. And you promise to clean up during slightest 1 stream (yes, 1 only) by 2020.
(10) Environmental Legislation
My method as well as a departments underneath it will publicize as well as gazette key environmental legislations as well as amendments which have been critical to plunge in to a little of urgent environment as well as biodiversity associated issues in a country. These embody (i) Marine Parks Act; (ii) Access as well as Benefit Sharing Act; (iii) regulations to control non-point sources of pollution (iv) amend a Federal Constitution to concede larger share of supervision income to states. you will additionally run to enlarge a series of environm! ental cr ew in a supervision to 1 to 10,000 race by 2015. The current rate is about 1 to 14,000 persons (DOE, NREB as well as EPD combined) which equates to which you have to employ about 1,000 crew in in between right away as well as 2015. At a same time, there is an viewable need to significantly boost a staff force during a wildlife as well as forestry departments.
There have been so most things to do as well as so little time or resources. you am wakeful which there have been most some-more things which have been equally important. Combatting illegal trade in wildlife, biosafety, ecolabelling as well as climate change have been usually a few in a ocean of a million things which you have to do.
We cannot live but a environment to support us as well as it des! erves be tter diagnosis than you have been currently giving it. We have a big pursuit to do as well as a earlier you put some-more resources as well as bid in to it, a improved for all a futures.
Monyet King says
I initial wrote this piece in 2008 (with a little assistance from my colleagues). It was published both in a STAR as well as a NST. Three years have upheld as well as you think it is value a revisit. So you dug up a aged copy as well as worked upon it a bit, not very most usually enough to give it a good polish as well as rewrite certain sections which have been taken over by events. Courtesy of Bonology.com Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz
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