Transcript Environmental Fires & Climate Change

Climate Change and Environmental Security
in Southeast Asia
By
Sofiah Jamil
Non-Traditional Security Training Course for Indonesian Police Lecturers, Doctors and NGO Leaders
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Seminar Room 1
22nd -24th August 2007
Photo Source: Global Fire Monitoring Center
Summary
• What is environmental security (ES) and
climate change (CC)?
• What is the link between ES and CC?
• What are the cause and effects of CC in
Southeast Asia?
• What has been done to secure SEA’s
environmental security?
• What still needs to be done?
What is Environmental Security?
• the dynamics and interconnections among the natural resource base, the
social fabric of the state, and the economic engine for local and regional
stability
• Various environmental problems BUT common underlying causes
– Industrialisation  Overconsumption of resources by world’s richer nations
& communities
– Demographic pressures in poorer states
– Competition/abuse of resources  unequal access to resources 
conflict/violence  instability
• depletion and pollution of fresh water supplies, depletion of fisheries,
degradation and disappearance of biodiversity, degradation and loss of
agriculture lands, air pollution, food and health safety, stratospheric ozone
depletion, climate change/global warming.
What is Climate Change?
• Changes in the frequency, duration and intensity of
climate
• Not new but the effects of it more apparent in recent
decades
• Industrialisation  Carbon emissions  Global
Warming and Extreme Weather Conditions
Climate-related disasters in
ASEAN states
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1996-2000
2001-2005
2006-
Floods
Flashfloods/Landslides
Typhoons
Source: www.reliefweb.int
“Global Warming is now a Weapon of Mass Destruction”
- Sir John Haughton, Former Chief Executive, UK Meteorological Office
Co-Chair of Scientific Assessment Group of IPCC . Quoted in The Guardian, 28 July 2003
“Climate Change acts as a threat multiplier for instability
in some of the most volatile regions in the world”
- National Security and the Threat of Climate Change, The NCA Corporation, 2007
“The Security Council is the forum to discuss issues that threaten the
peace and security of the international community. What makes wars
start? Fights over water. Changing patterns of rainfall. Fights over
food production, land use.. There are few greater potential threats to
our economies too ... but also to peace and security itself”
- British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, during UNSC Climate Change debate, 2007
Kyoto Protocol (1997)
• entered into force on 16 February 2005.
• committing to individual, legally-binding targets to limit or
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Only Parties to the
Convention that have also become Parties to the Protocol
• BUT has its limitations
– Major player US has not ratified it
– Some states find it difficult to keep to their quotas
– Does not take into account emerging developing economies – eg.
India, China
– Does not take into account carbon emissions from agricultural
sources (which as we will see in accounting for an increasing
substantial part)
Peatlands…
 Before degradation
After degradation
Role of Peatlands in Climate Change
Draining and burning of peatlands
Nature of desiccated peat
Location of peatlands in the world
Southeast Asia’s carbon emissions mostly
from forestry sector
 BUT not included under Kyoto Protocol
 Further implications when Energy sector
expands as part of economic growth and
development
Effects of Fires
Health
problems
Haze
Poor
Visibility
Higher
likelihood of
accidents
Impeding
productivity
Damage to
land
Disrupt
Disruption of
livelihood
modes of
transport
Slump in
Tourism
Increased
mortality rates

Crippling
economic
growth
Increase
Greenhouse effect
Less carbon sinks
Co2
Emissions
Increased
Freaky weather
Increased
“natural”
disasters
Increased
lightning Warmer and dryer
environments
Poverty & Reduced
capacity to deal
with crises
Increase
spread of
diseases
Haze Crises: 1997- 1998 and late 2006
Minimizing and adapting to effects of
Climate Change
Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) for (20042010).
Working groups on :multilateral environmental agreements,
 nature conservation and biodiversity,
 coastal and marine environment,
 environmentally sustainable cities
 water resources management.
 consolidating best local practices
 tapping on foreign resources
ASEAN Peatland Management
Initiative (2003)
ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS) (2005
– 2020)
Multi- stakeholder and multi-agency involvement
 including plantations and companies and local farmers
Sustainable development measures
Discuss the development of corresponding National
Action Plans (NAPs)
enhance cooperation and coordination with partners and
supporters
Jambi Master Plan
More proactive action
 Singapore to deal directly with Muaro Jambi regency
enhancing capacity in preventing and mitigating fires.
Assistance in sourcing out for financial and technical
resources, including matching agencies to project
legislation and enforcement
early warning and monitoring
regional and international collaboration .
If successful, will be used as a model for other fireprone areas.
Need to be realistic
Challenges for ASEAN
Strengthening capacity to address issues
Balancing rising global demand for alternative energy
sources
Malaysia and Indonesia prime sources for biofuel
Biofuel production precipitating climate change?
 Strengthen international support for sustainable
development
Securitizing the demand for biofuels?
Regional problems with diversifying energy sources
“Global warming is a "modern"
problem -- complicated,
involving the entire world,
tangled up with difficult issues
such as
poverty, economic development,
and population growth.
Dealing with it will not be easy.
Ignoring it will be worse.”
- UNFCCC