Climate change summit ropes in local youths

THE impact of climate change in Johor − where many people live along the state’s 400km long coastline − is being managed through youth education programmes.

One such initiative was the “SDG Summit 2024: East Territory” themed “Climate Action in Reducing the Impact of Climate Change”.

The final event of the summit took place at the beachside homestay project of Kampungstay Teluk Buih, Mersing, Johor.

Aimed to raise awareness of the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), it was organised by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The event was also supported by the Global Environment Centre (GEC), Tengah Island Conservation (TIC) and Reef Check Malaysia.

Specifically, the summit targeted UN’s SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG 13, and SDG 14 to reduce environmental impact of cities, create a sustainable consumption-production circle, upskill communities towards green living and restore ecosystems.

“ECERDC is committed to ensuring minimal urban environmental impact in implementing our projects, raising awareness for the communities on climate action strategies, as well as increasing the locals’ participation in achieving SDG targets in order to enhance quality of life,” said the council’s chief operating officer Datuk Ragu Sampasivam in his speech at the event.

The Kampungstay Teluk Buih, for instance, is how ECERDC has leveraged on Mersing’s unique attractions based on a development strategy known as “Rainforest to Reef” or R2R.

This strategy links all natural assets from the Endau-Rompin National Park to Mersing’s beaches, islands and reefs off its coast.

Ragu highlighted how the spillover benefits from tourism sector growth in this zone had enabled locals to supplement their income through tourism, thus meeting the SDG 8.

Mangrove tree-planting among summit activities to educate Mersing youths on safeguarding ecosystems that foster livelihoods of their seaside communities.

Another homestay project, KampungStay Air Papan, achieved SDG 9 as it saw communites in an area about 11km north of Mersing benefit from the building of 10 chalets, a multi-purpose hall with surau, two restaurants, a reception building and a swimming pool.

Having opened in May last year, KampungStay Air Papan is another example of how a multi-faceted way of reducing climate change impacts has enabled the growth of local tourism infrastructure and activities.

ECERDC had also collaborated with the Mersing District Office and Kelab Sahabat Cakna Lembah Pantai to plant 200 mangrove trees along the barrier wall of the KampungStay project in 2021.

This initiative had aimed to prevent coastal erosion as per the SDG 15 target, transform a coastal habitat for various species of marine life (SDG 14), help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (SDG 13) as well as increase environmental quality and aesthetic value as an attraction for tourists (SDG 8).

The event also had a briefing session by UNDP, TIC and GEC related to the SDGs, and practical activities that included tree planting.

More than 30 participants consisting of students and guests from Mersing Polytechnic, various agencies and local authorities planted mangrove trees at Kampungstay areas.

Other hands-on activities by TIC and GEC included trash segregation games as well as interactive quizzes based on conservation and management of forests and wetlands.

Students were also shown the technology used to transform landfill or burnt waste into reusable products.

The programme was attended by Mersing district officer Jamil Hasni Abdullah, National SDG centre director Azfaazam Kasbani and Economy Ministry’s Environmental and Resources Division (sustainable development) assistant director Sheela Inthiram.

Others present included Segamat assistant district officer Muhammad Lutfi Abbas, environment officers from Johor Economic Planning Division and other representatives from Economy Ministry, Mersing District Office and Segamat District Office besides key stakeholders.

In progressing towards empowering youths to safeguard oceanic and island ecosystems as well as emphasising reef and marine biodiversity preservation, this gathering paved the way for the subsequent summit that was held in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu.

Both summits have set the stage for the nationwide Malaysia SDG Summit 2024 scheduled for July.