Kuala lumpur: Urban youths should lead the way in tackling climate change through proactive action rather than just understanding its impact, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa. She emphasized the role of young people as agents of change who could significantly impact future sustainability.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Zaliha highlighted the importance of every individual action, no matter how small, in contributing to a greater impact than expected. Speaking at the launch of the Federal Territories-level 2025 Climate Change and Green Energy Leadership Project (IKLIM), she stressed that programmes like IKLIM not only raise awareness but also demonstrate that youths can lead change.

Dr Zaliha referenced a study published in the Earth System Science Data journal, which projected that if global carbon dioxide emissions remained at 46 gigatonnes per year, the remaining global carbon budget would be just 143 gigatonnes. She warned that if this trend continued, the carbon budget for limiting global warming might be exhausted by 2028, making it almost impossible to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

She also noted the unique challenges faced by Kuala Lumpur, given its population of over two million and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of nearly RM270 billion recorded last year. The city produces up to 9.3 tonnes of carbon per capita annually, indicating the environmental pressure from rapid economic activity and urban development.

However, positive progress is being made through efforts to reduce the city’s carbon footprint, as seen in the Low Carbon Society Blueprint 2030 and the Kuala Lumpur Climate Action Plan 2050. Dr Zaliha commended Kuala Lumpur’s success in reducing its carbon intensity from 30 grammes of carbon dioxide per ringgit of GDP in 2010 to nearly seven grammes in 2024, marking over a 75 percent reduction in 14 years. She cautioned against complacency despite this achievement.