'Alam Kita' Carnival Boosts Awareness Of Environmental Conservation, Green Lifestyle

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) has organised the Alam Kita Carnival to improve awareness in environmental conservation through the adoption of a green lifestyle.

Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, who currently holds the portfolio of the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister, said the carnival carries the message that environmental sustainability was not only the government’s duty, but a shared responsibility with Malaysians to take care of the planet.

"Big changes start with small steps, with reducing the use of plastic, planting trees and preserving our rivers,” he said in a media broadcast after the officiation of the Sabah state Alam Kita Carnival in Membakut, near Kimanis today.

He said that Sabah was a state that was rich with natural heritage, with various unique ecosystems, from tropical rainforests, mountains and world-class marine areas, and therefore the rich diversity needed to be protected from threats of habitat loss, climate change, uncontrolled exploitation and pollution.

"The Alam Kita Carnival in Sabah this year reflects the government’s continued commitment to improve public involvement in making sustainability agendas a success in the country,” he said, as he urged for more efforts to build awareness about the importance of preserving the environment at home and in schools.

Johari also said his ministry was carrying out various initiatives to improve the balance between economic and social development with environmental conservation, and that the ministry’s main agenda is to implement the National Environmental Policy to improve environmental governance; the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to expand the protection of biodiversity and to step up management of protected areas as well as the National Climate Action Plan to speed up mitigation efforts and adaptation towards climate change.

Malaysia has also improved its standing internationally through active participation in various agreements and global conventions such as the Montreal Protocol, the Paris Convention and the Biology Diversity Convention, he added.

He also explained that the commitment was translated to work on the field through real projects such as conservation of mangrove forests, water catchment areas, the reduction of carbon emissions and protecting endangered species.

These efforts were to ensure that national development continues while taking ecological balance into consideration, he said.

-- BERNAMA