3rd Note

November – I love this time of the year.  It is a time to reflect and stocktake one’s professional and personal life.  Of course it is also a time to plan, anticipate and perhaps visualize the achievement and challenges that lie ahead.

And I admit I am in my most introspective mode right now.  Well, almost.

I attended a roundtable on the benefits and challenges of SCORE recently (organized by AZAM Sarawak) and I must say it really leaves me in one of those reflective moods.  Indeed I was pleasantly surprised with the progress the state is doing in making this mammoth project a reality.  It makes me proud that the ultimate aim of the project is to advance not only the state but more importantly her peoples.  Thence you would ask me “Why the pensive mood”? The people’s part.  And yes, the sustainability part too.  The roundtable put forth these two very pertinent constituents that seem to be missing in the very literature about the project (at least those circulated to the audience).  Personally I believe that the success of this project requires a massive buy-in from us the ordinary citizens.  The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in its 1997 Report (refer SD Dimensions, FAO)…”The pivotal role of people’s participation in development is now re-emerging in economic and social development thinking…”.  In other words, this is not new.  It has been discussed and deliberated umpteenth time.  Yet this “human face” of development unless I am mistaken, remains on the back burner.

According to the Renewables Global Status Report 2007, an emerging trend in some countries is community-driven renewables development.  For instance in Japan, there are nine community-owned and financed wind farms and in Spain, a citizen-owned solar PV plant (owned by about 750 people) in one of the municipalities, is contributing to a large share of renewables in electricity supply.  At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia in 2007, World Mayors and Local Governments Climate Protection Agreement agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including renewable energy, toward a goal of reducing worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2050.

My point is this – engage us as contributing members of the society.  Make us feel that we matter, not as mere bystanders of the project.  Like one of the panelists at the forum said, SCORE should be more citizen-friendly instead of being just corporate-friendly.

Since I am still in my pensive mood – I have another bone to pick, a huge bone actually. The sustainability part.

The roundtable drew attention to the fact that SCORE abides by two significant international standards – the Equator Principles and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  A quick Google search revealed that the Equator Principles refers to a set of global environmental and social standards to manage environmental and social issues in development project finance.  Now, what if, for whatever reasons, I did not attend that roundtable?

And what if I am one of those simple-minded citizens with no access to modern technology?  How in the whole wide world would I understand what this creature Equator Principles is or what the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples stand for?  Besides, why are these global standards compliance not brought to light in the face of unsavoury comments from certain quarters?

Renewables Global Status Report 2009 Update mentioned that the renewable energy industry is indeed big business and despite the global financial crisis, it continues to grow albeit at a slower pace.  The report stated that annual renewable energy investment has increased fourfold to USD120 billion in 2008.  As a matter of fact by April this year, it was reported that 78 countries had signed the statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) whose goal is to increase the share of renewable energy worldwide.

The positive and robust promise of the renewable energy industry means that the state has taken a bold and laudable initiative to improve the Quality of Life of her people.  The international compliance is one good indicator that the principles and ethics of sustainability are promoted and adhered to.  But then again, sustainability is about participatory development where each and every one of us has the opportunity to contribute constructively to development.  This is one area, to put it diplomatically, is still wanting.

As we approach the New Year one lingering question remains – How do we as conscientious citizens of this country keep SCORE in our hearts and minds, not as a mega physical project but as our contribution in whatever form, towards uplifting the very livelihood of our peoples?

Zabariah Haji Matali works with the Islamic Information Centre. 3rd Voice, initiated by AZAM and SDI is published fortnightly. Feedback can be sent to deborah@azam.org.my