Mohamad Hasan: Sea-Level Rise Now A Present Reality

From V.Sankara

NEW YORK, Sept 25 (NNN) -- Sea-level rise is no longer a distant concern but a present reality, with its impacts already being felt across islands and coastal regions, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.

In his intervention at the High-Level Plenary Meeting on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea Level Rise at the United Nations headquarters here on Thursday, Mohamad said Malaysia, as a maritime and coastal nation, viewed sea-level rise as a growing development and resilience challenge.

He said climate projections indicated that sea levels along Malaysia’s coastline could rise by up to 0.74 metres by 2100.

“These risks have direct implications for our water security, agriculture and infrastructure,” he said.

Mohamad said coastal communities were also increasingly exposed to flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion.

He also welcomed the Declaration’s emphasis on science, data and preparedness, saying sustained observations and long-term coastal monitoring were essential to reinforce risk assessments, early warning systems and adaptation planning.

He said Malaysia was strengthening its national adaptation efforts through its Nationally Determined Contribution 3.0 (NDC 3.0) and the development of the Malaysia National Adaptation Plan.

However, Mohamad stressed that developing countries like Malaysia could not address these challenges alone.

“Adaptation ambition must be matched by adequate means of implementation,” he said, stressing the importance of developed countries fulfilling their commitments to provide climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building support.

Mohamad is currently in New York from Sept 23 to 27 to lead Malaysia’s delegation to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

--NNN