“From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it’s different. Consider again that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us.
On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives.”
– Carl Sagan
This excerpt from the “Pale Blue Dot” written by astrophysicist Carl Sagan highlights the importance of Earth as the only habitable home for humans. See that tiny dot suspended in the middle of a sunbeam? That’s Earth.
5 June marks World Environment Day, and this year’s theme is “Only One Earth”. It calls for collective transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore the planet, our common home. Currently, we face three interlinked environmental issues that make up a triple planetary crisis: climate change, pollution and nature & biodiversity loss.
Climate Change
This is arguably the biggest and most publicised environmental issue in the 21st century, with many organisations and companies advocating and prioritising action against this growing emergency. Climate change manifests extreme weather patterns and phenomena such as rising sea levels, droughts and increasingly intensive storms. These seriously affect communities, ecosystems and economies globally.
YTL Group recognises that we must play our part as a conglomerate to reduce our GHG emissions to combat climate change, by setting a Group-wide target to be carbon neutral in our operations by 2050.
Pollution
Pollution is a big problem not only to the environment, but to humans as well. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the leading cause of disease and premature death, with more than 7 million fatalities annually. Air pollution and climate change are closely connected as air pollutants share common sources with greenhouse gases, thus further increasing global warming.
The “Bio-Vehicle Family” put on the roads by GENeco UK reduces pollution by utilising biogas produced from commercial food waste and sewage waste to power the vehicles.
Nature & Biodiversity Loss
Biodiversity loss refers to the loss of life on Earth, ranging from species extinction to ecological collapse. Biodiversity is incredibly important as it contributes to healthy ecosystems that carry out processes supporting life on Earth. It also helps to store carbon and keeps greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, essentially minimising impacts on climate change.
YTL Group has been playing its part in conserving biodiversity, through initiatives such as YTL Cement’s Kanthan Biodiversity Initiatives that involve endemic species like the Kanthan Trapdoor Spider, Pangkor Laut Resort’s efforts in conserving hornbills and flying foxes, as well as Wessex Water’s Biodiversity Action Plan which funds biodiversity conservation projects in the region.
Our Executive Chairman, Tan Sri (Sir) Francis Yeoh, is passionate about protecting the natural environment, and integrates environmental sustainability into YTL Group strategies and core business decisions. He recently delivered a keynote speech at An EU-Malaysian Dialogue: “Fighting Climate Change with Market Mechanisms” at The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur on 25 May. Watch the full session here (jump to 15:05 for Tan Sri (Sir) Francis Yeoh’s speech):
