THE natural environment on Earth is impacted by the climate change. Climate change is caused by global warming. As a result, the natural environment is in grave peril. Only the human beings can save and maintain or conserve the environment. The definition of environment includes land, sea, rivers, ocean, air, trees and the atmosphere of the Earth.
The global people express their deep concern about the great perils facing the environment. Each and every country makes effort to curb the global warming and the impact of environment as much as they can do. Deforestation, carbon gas emissions known as greenhouse effect occurrences are the main causes of global warming.
Global people are tackling these perils with utmost efforts.
It is good news that Myanmar journalists and media can get an environmental data base available on the website_ cmmd-environmental.com. EDMM (Environmental Database for Myanmar Media) is the website that will provide the environmental database for Myanmar journalists who need the reliable sources from worldwide environmental issues and Myanmar environmental update database. By visiting this website, we all can acquire knowledge and can learn comprehensive news, information, activities, projects with international organizations, UN agencies pertaining to tackling the environmental issue in Myanmar.
The launching event of the website was held at the Orchid Hotel in Yangon on 16 September 2019. It was attended by Myanmar journalists, environmentalists, Forestry experts, Agriculturist, Biologists and enthusiasts. The event agenda contained a panel discussion on the impact of environment in Myanmar. The panel discussion was made by the experts who attended on that occasion.
The experts who participated in panel discussion on impact of environment in Myanmar were Dr. Than Than Sein (Agriculturalist), U Cho Cho (expert in water and Irrigation as well as chairman of National Water Resources Committee-NWRC) and U Tin Aye (expert on forestry).They shared their respective knowledge and work experiences with each other.
Then, they focused and suggested on how- to- tackle -the –impact – of-environment-in-Myanmar with the collaboration of stakeholders and concerned Ministries . Later, they answered the questions of the participants and enthusiasts related to the issue of environment in Myanmar individually.
Aforementioned event or activity indicates that it is one of the efforts to curb CGE and impact of environment in Myanmar. In other words, Myanmar is making efforts to curb climate change in the country collaborating with experts, UN agencies, INGOs and stakeholders actively.
Due to their discussion, knowledge, observation and research, we could have learnt the water resources availability, the conditions of land or soil and natural forests in Myanmar. The following bullets are the findings that experts have collected.
• Before, the 3/4 of the land area of Myanmar was covered with forests. Now, the ¼ of the land area of Myanmar is covered with forests. Despite being depleted, some forests in Myanmar are thriving. Currently, there are 60 ( sixty ) districts of forests are in existence. To protect deforestation, community forests are being established. Conservation of Forest in Myanmar is compulsory. Trees absorb rain water. Unless there are trees in certain areas, no water resources can be found.
• Climate change destroys Myanmar Agriculture directly. Untimely rain can destroy farming. Cutting trees, slashing and burning trees and bushes for firewood cause Greenhouse effects – emitting Co2, Nitrite, and Methane. Therefore, 34 % of the Greenhouse effects come from the agriculture sector. To reduce the greenhouse effects, Climate Smart Agriculture must be materialized. Conservation of Agriculture is compulsory. In Myanmar, China-made, Thailand- made chemical fertilizers are being used on farmland and the usage of them has side effects to soil and earth. E.g corn fields are destroyed by Super Chemical Fertilizer. Despite the existence of laws on the usage of fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides, the impact still prevails on land.
• Myanmar has higher abundance of water resources. In Myanmar, 18,000 gallons of drinking water are consumed by per person / year. The 85% of Myanmar population consume rainwater and groundwater or drilled water.
We must maintain underground water resources and they must be good quality.
In fact, the impact of environment occurs worldwide due to climate change caused by activities of human beings. Therefore, we human beings are responsible to conserve the natural environment on this planet. Myanmar also suffers from the impact of environment. We Myanmar people are not only expressing our deep concern about the impact of environment, but also we are working hand in hand with environmentalists, CSOs, the government, stakeholders, media ,journalists, civilian journalists and nature lovers for recovery of green environment.
In this regard, the roles of journalists and media are important because their constant news and consistent information help usremedy the environmental issue.
The reliable database are needed so as to solve the problem effectively. If the natural environment is impacted, we human beings, land animals, aquatic creatures, birds and insects will be facing dreadful natural disasters. Concrete jungle, deforestation, waste or plastic- polluted sea and oceans cause destruction on all living things. Man-made global warming or greenhouse effect is one of the causes of climate change.
Consequently, natural environment is badly impacted by climate change. It is high time to address the impact of environment on global basis indeed. We need to conserve pleasant and healthy environment on Earth so that all living things can enjoy balanced ecosystem.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) Myanmar Climate Change Strategy (2018-2030) Myanmar is presently at comparatively early stages of urbanization and has the opportunity to steer the process towards achieving urban resilience. For this reason, Myanmar must engage early in the impending urbanization process to create resilient, sustainable and low-carbon towns and cities, regardless of size, and work over the long-term through all realistic means. If urban planning and development approaches integrate concepts of participation, resilience and the adoption of low-carbon technologies, Myanmar can develop more inclusive, sustainable and resilient towns and cities.
The government of Myanmar is drafting: (a) National Urban and Regional Development Planning Law, which makes reference to environmental and social issues that need to be integrated into spatial planning (b) National Housing Framework, which should integrate climate change considerations in the delivery of affordable and inclusive housing, and (c) National Urban Policy, of which climate change will be an important component.
The National Building Code has also been updated since 2016 and enacted in 2018. In addition to safety measures and disaster-sensible use of materials, construction technics and technologies, it also includes specific provisions for energy efficiency, water supply efficiency and green buildings to contribute to reducing emissions and building more habitable adaptive buildings that reduce energy, cooling and lighting needs through its use of design, technology and materials. Its enforcemen will be essential, but it will require self-adherence from the public and private sectors. If private construction companies and developers do not mainstream resource-efficient, disaster-resistant, climate change-adaptive designs and materials consistently at an early stage, Myanmar will lose a huge opportunity to create towns and cities that are carbon neutral and can withstand the increased frequency and intensity of hazards. A number of planners will be trained to achieve policy goals; they will be the first in Myanmar to receive such training. But urban planning capacities remain a constraint at national and local level, and will define administrators' ability to enforce regulations and building codes. With the exception of its three main cities, Myanmar's townships do not have the capacity or the mandate for longterm strategic planning. It must urgently address the challenge of integrating long-term climate change effects into decisions for infrastructure, services and landuse.
This is very obvious to learn that Myanmar and its people are striving to tackle the crisis of global warming with the collaboration of international organizations and local experts. By looking at abovementioned Climate Change Strategy (2018-2030 ), Myanmar’s efforts to curb CGE (Carbon Gas Emission) and the impact of environment are rather encouraging indeed !
Credit; The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC)
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