CHAPTER 4 - REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS WORKING GROUP thus affect the right to food. Natural disasters which come about from climate change would cause deaths and, therefore, affect the right to life. (vi) Risks to achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Climate change poses risks to a country’s ability to achieve the MDG goals. For instance, flash floods that destroy paddy fields would impact some communities’ or families’ main source of income and sustenance. This would have great impact on domestic achievement of Goal 1 of the MDGs – to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger – especially in countries that are heavily reliant on crop cultivation. Climate change would also reduce the ability of children to participate in full-time education in the event of loss of infrastructure, or lead to an increase in the number of displaced families. (vii) Malaysian initiatives to address climate change Apart from adopting international conventions like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Ramsar Convention, the Government has implemented environmental protection measures at the national level. One of the most innovative of these is the recycling and processing of used cooking oil for fuel in diesel-engine vehicles. (viii) Public transportation The transportation industry contributes to very high levels of CO2 emission. Several car-makers have advanced green technology by introducing electric and hybrid vehicles. Such initiatives could be adopted in the public transportation system. (ix) Green initiatives The application of such initiatives should be intensified to sensitise all organs of society to the adverse impact of current practices on the environment and to the importance of adopting an environmentally-friendly approach. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification scheme and Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme are examples of initiatives described as having a positive bearing on environmental protection. (x) Challenges to implementing green technology Many industries have refused to adopt green technology, deeming it to be unprofitable. Green technology is profitable, although the margin is lower when compared to utilisation of climateunfriendly technology. The ECOSOCWG will organise a follow-up RTD in early 2012 for NGOs and industry players, to introduce and promote the human rights approach in environmental protection efforts. 85