KUALA LUMPUR: Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is confident that Malaysia will ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change soon, as part of the country's commitment towards reducing carbon emissions and fight global warming.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar today said after meeting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak last week, both of them agreed that the process would be done as soon as possible.
"To date, the Paris Agreement has been ratified by 82 countries, all of which make up more than 55 per cent of the total carbon emissions in the world.
"God willing, Malaysia will ratify the agreement after Nov 4, because we will present the paper to the Cabinet to decide (whether to ratify or otherwise)," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.
In December last year, 195 countries signed the agreement, in a united effort to cut emissions to limit global warming to only 1.5 or two degrees Celsius.
For the agreement to take effect, 55 countries accounting for 55 per cent of global emissions must ratify it.
"After that (presenting paper to Cabinet), we can submit our ratification documents to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).
"I am confident that we can reduce emissions by 45 per cent, 10 per cent conditional and 35 per cent unconditional," he said.
Wan Junaidi said the country would be involved in discussions to create modalities that will determine the direction of the Paris agreement after 2020.
Adding that this was a very important step for the country as an active nation in the implementation of the agreement, he said the country was aware of global warming and the commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 45 per cent was high.
"We also pledged to maintain food security, water security, flood prevention and preservation of our rainforests.
"Therefore my ministry and other mininistries and other government agencies play an important role to help fulfil what we said in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions," he said adding that the ministry would not be careless in said duties.