"Human actions have changed the earth’s climate at an unprecedented rate over the millennia and some of these changes are now irreversible. Population explosion and intensive urbanisation have accelerated demands for the natural resources. These have inevitably caused global warming, increase in greenhouse gases emissions, coastal hazards, extreme weather events and pandemic outbreaks. Climate records in  recent decades have chronicled widespread heatwaves, extreme precipitation patterns, wildfires, major flood events and drought-induced famine across the northern and southern hemispheres, exacerbating further the current water crises, urban heat islands and impacting liveability. 

Nonetheless, strong and sustained reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases are able to limit the climate upheaval and keep the global temperature below 1.5°C, highlights the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. 

Now is the opportunity for us to realise that only our bold and immediate actions can prevent such climate breakdown and importantly, each of these actions must take root at the local level. It is time for us to invest our mindset, energy and commitments to preserve and protect the planet for the goodness of the present and future generations – therefore, we must “Invest in Our Planet”.

This is the theme for 2022 Earth Day celebration, highlighting our collective responsibility towards the environment. Realising this, Global Environment Centre (GEC), along with our trained local communities from various parts of the country, have invested much of its efforts and commitment in working in partnership with nature by the means of ecosystem-based approaches and nature-based solutions to address the localised climate crisis, and other environmental and socioeconomic challenges. These involve the protection, restoration and management of natural ecosystems encompassing tropical forests and wetlands (including peatlands and coastal areas) and river systems. Inevitably, all the fruitful actions and successes are hardly achievable without strong and endless support and commitment from the government agencies, funders, private sectors, NGOs and public since 1998. 

At this moment, GEC would like to grasp this opportunity to commemorate and wish Happy Earth Day 2022 to all our stakeholders who have supported and invested in our efforts to safeguard the environment. 

Together, we “Invest in Our Planet”, and scale up the current investments in nature to reach climate targets and protect the integrity of natural ecosystems services.

For Earth Day 2022, together, for everyone, everything, every day!"

Faizal Parish
Director of Global Environment Centre