EU belanja 28.4 bilion euro ke atas import produk teknologi hijau

BRUSSELS: Kesatuan Eropah (EU) membelanjakan sebanyak 28.4 bilion euro (1 euro=RM5.04) pada 2022 untuk import produk tenaga hijau, termasuk turbin angin, panel solar dan biofuel cecair dari negara-negara luar EU.

Jumlah itu lebih dua kali ganda berbanding yang dibelanjakan pada 2021 (13.3 bilion euro), menurut Eurostat.

Dengan fokus pada produk-produk tertentu, EU mengimport panel solar bernilai 22.6 bilion euro pada tahun lepas, kenaikan sebanyak 145 peratus berbanding tahun 2021 (9.2 bilion euro), lapor Agensi Berita Emirates (WAM).

Terdapat juga peningkatan yang dicatatkan untuk biofuel cecair dengan jumlah import pada 2022 mencapai 5.1 bilion euro, peningkatan sebanyak 49 peratus berbanding tahun 2021 (3.4 bilion euro).

Peningkatan juga dicatatkan dalam import turbin angin, meningkat 17 peratus kepada 0.8 bilion euro pada tahun 2022 berbanding 0.6 bilion euro pada 2021.

Nilai produk-produk tenaga hijau yang dieksport oleh EU ke negara-negara luar jauh lebih rendah pada 3.7 bilion euro iaitu penurunan sebanyak 27 peratus daripada jumlah 2021 yang sebanyak lima bilion euro. - BERNAMA

Niaga SPOTLIGHT: Costing The Silent Threat of Obesity

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia are a growing burden on the health system, with a number of associated health issues and economic costs.

The annual cost of healthcare for NCDs is estimated to be over RM 9.65 billion. Meanwhile, the cost of disability and loss of healthy life years is estimated to be around RM 100.79 billion. Absenteeism due to NCDs is estimated to cost the Malaysian economy RM 2.6 billion annually.

From the common NCDs, obesity is one of THE most significant health threats, with nearly 20% of the Malaysian population currently classified as obese.

Additionally, more than half of all adults (54%) are overweight or obese. According to the World Obesity Atlas, this figure could rise to 41% in Malaysia by 2035, if preventive action is not taken.

Niaga Spotlight focuses on immediate strategies to address this growing silent threat of Obesity, which also burdens the national healthcare system as well as national productivity levels with significant impacts and costs.