Bruneians lack environmental awareness: Local scholar

BE MORE aware of the regional and global implications of your actions on the local environment, a local scholar has advised Bruneians.

According to Dr Azman Ahmad, the Dean of Faculty of Business, Economics and Policy Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Bruneians lack a satisfactory level of understanding of environmental concerns.

"The level of knowledge or perhaps the intensity of enthusiasm over environmental issues, in general, and on climate change, in particular, may not be significant among the populace of Brunei Darussalam," he said.

Dr Azman, who also teaches and guides researches on the environment, said that this lack of understanding is demonstrated by the fact that environmental terms such as 'global warming' and 'climate change' may not be fully appreciated by a section of the community.

In addition, activities such as open burning, which is prohibited by law, are common and further demonstrates the absence of understanding.

Dr Azman said: "Open burning is still a common practice in Brunei during land clearing activities for development for agriculture, as well as at construction and rubbish dumping sites, even though it is prohibited."

He added that Bruneians should be aware that the consequences of these activities are not only harmful to the home environment but also the international environment.

The dean further explained that while smoke emitted from open burning contributes to haze at the local level, when coupled with forest fires, which occur frequently in neighbouring countries, the atmospheric pollution extends over the entire region. This leads to increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which brings about global warming and changes to the climate.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah also highlighted the issue of environmental awareness in the country in a recent international meeting.

In his address at a UN meeting on climate change last month, the minister highlighted that the biggest problem in addressing climate change is promoting better understanding and awareness amongst Bruneians.

"We have done what we can by legislation. We have a longstanding conservation policy and we have done a great deal to protect our environment. That, however, does not solve our biggest problem, which is getting more understanding and awareness among our people," said His Royal Highness.Dr Azman suggested several ways to raise awareness of climate change.

He recommended that a study be done to establish the level of awareness and knowledge of the public on issues relating to the environment. "There should also be commissioned or funded research on the local impact of climate change to determine the probable consequences of climate change in Brunei Darussalam."

He is currently conducting a survey on people's attitude towards the environment, and among others, it aims to find out the level of awareness and knowledge of the Bruneian public on global warming.

"If Bruneians were presented with a likely scenario of the historical Kampong Ayer, or other low-lying coastal areas being submerged as a result of an increase in sea level, for example, Bruneians will be more concerned and attentive of the global issue of climate change," he added.

Dr Azman also suggested that raising the level of environmental awareness should take place at all levels of society such as school children, the private business sector, between non-governmental organisations as well as amongst government officials.

"Such awareness should not be confined to local or domestic issues or activities, but also those at the regional and international levels as well," he said.

Current efforts to address this problem include the integration of environmental components in the primary, secondary and tertiary curricula, as well as part of extra curricular activities in Brunei. In terms of higher learning, UBD offers courses on the environment which to some extent deal with global warming, the greenhouse effect and climate change.

The call for a more efficient use of energy at home, office and workplace during the recent Energy Week event in September 2007, was described by Dr Azman as excellent progress towards mobilizing public participation in environmental enhancement activities.

The Brunei Times