Green businesses in five key economic sectors — energy, transport, buildings, waste and water — can contribute RM12.7 billion and RM27.9 billion to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 and 2030 respectively, based on the platform of business as usual (BAU), said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak.

“If strong commitment is given beyond BAU in increasing green business, it is expected green business will contribute RM22.4 billion to the GDP in 2020 and RM60 billion in 2030,” he was quoted in a Bernama report.

Green business based on that platform is also expected to increase opportunities in green employment to 144,590 in 2020 and 211,500 in 2030, he added when chairing the Green Technology and Climate Change Council (MTHPI) meeting in Putrajaya on Wednesday.

He said the number for green employment created in Malaysia had increased by 38%, from 61,280 in 2013 to 84,565 last year. He said green technology in Malaysia could be the catalyst for sustainable green technology development, not only in terms of a balanced environment, but also socially.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili told a media conference that the National Green Technology Masterplan was tabled at the meeting alongside four other papers namely Carbon Intensity Reduction in Malaysia by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry), National Waste Grid by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology, SIRIM Bhd’s proposal on creating a Green-Blue Packaging Industry and National Electric Mobility Blueprint from Malaysian Green Technology Corp.

At the meeting, Najib also warned that climate change and global warming can no longer be viewed lightly.

He said rainfall patterns in Malaysia had changed and the country now faced prolonged draughts so much so there was water supply crisis in some states in the middle of 2014 and at the end of the year, continuous heavy rain resulted in some of the worst floods in decades with loss of lives and destruction of property.

“As an example, the Kelantan Drainage and Irrigation Department recorded rainfall of 1,295mm from Dec 21 to 23, 2014, which is equivalent to rainfall over 64 days”.

Najib also said the National Security Council had confirmed the flood disaster at the end of last year and the landslides occurring now were linked to land clearing for agriculture and development and land encroachment.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report published last year by the World Meteorological Organisation and United Nations Environment Programme had warned that mitigation measures taken were still not enough to limit temperature increase to two degrees Celcius, he said.

“This will cause serious natural disasters in future,” he added.

The MTHPI, established in 2010 with the role of drawing up the agenda on green technology and addressing climate change, meets at least twice a year.