20.6.2019 until 22.6.2019
We were fortunate to participate in this workshop conducted by SAM to understand the people's struggle, one that is very interconnected to environmental and social justice.
People Power Now
The workshop lasted for three days and was joined by many community leaders in Malaysia. There were sharing sessions, and also capacity building exercises.
Aroe representing the youth in the climate movement against the backdrop of community leaders
We took this video in the workshop we attended together with the communities affected the development of non-/hydroelectric dams over decades.
- Baram ( Sarawak ) – Kenyah, Kayan, Penan - Papar (Sabah) - Chini (Pahang)- not hydroelectric-Jakun
Hydroelectric dams make up 11% of Malaysia’s energy mix. Its development is critical in Malaysia’s effort to reduce our GHG emission intensity from 2005 by 45% by 2030. From what’s been said by Najib, our emission was already down by 33% in 2015 relative to 2005 levels. We are disputing these values, but that is for another worthy post.
There are journals and papers citing the adverse effects of hydroelectric dams outweighed its advantage as cheap electricity. The state governments are blindsided by the prospect of cheap electricity without considering the full environmental and social costs of these installations such as: • Damaged river ecology • Displaced millions of people • Contributed to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases such as methane from the decomposition of flooded lands and forests.
Read it here: https://www.pnas.org/content/115/47/11891