Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) takes great concern in the effort to address climate change.
In view of this, UTP Go Green Movement in collaboration with the European Union today organised the Climate Diplomacy Day (CDD) 2018, a forum to raise awareness to the public on climate change that is taking place every day all around the world.
The event was further supported by Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia or PEKA Malaysia, Forestry Department Malaysia, The Department of Orang Asli Development or JAKOA, UTP Eco Project, UTP Postgraduate Student Representative Council, UTP MPU4 or UTP General Studies Group, American Institute of Chemical Engineers-UTP-Student Chapter, UTP ASEAN Student Association and UTP Centre for Student Development.
As the diplomatic mission of the European Union, the Delegation's task is to promote closer ties with Malaysia by providing an efficient and reliable communication channel between the EU and Malaysian authorities, business, education institutions and civil society.
The Delegation also promotes people-to-people contact and highlights Europe's cultural and linguistic diversity. It supports European higher education exchanges and facilitates cooperation in the field of science and technology through its activities.
The CDD 2018 gathered knowledgeable speakers of different background to talk on climate change with the theme "Business Case for Fighting Climate Change". The speakers were Sophine Tann Executive Member for PEKA (representing civil society), Dr Abdul Aziz Bari Committee Chairman for Education, Science, Environment, Green Technology and Information (representing government), Roberto Benetello CEO EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (representing business community) and Professor Dr Shamsul Rahman bin Mohamed Kutty Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering Department UTP (representing academia).
The event saw 250 participants from UTP ASEAN Student Forum, UTP Postgraduate students and Universiti Sains Malaysia.
As part of the many initiatives in raising awareness on climate change, UTP Go Green Movement organised a community trip visit to Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Gapes, Perak which involved more than 50 participants comprising UTP students and staff, delegation of the European Union to Malaysia, Department of Orang Asli Development and the orang asli.
The visit aims to engage the rural community of Perak into the discussion of climate change and its impact on the livelihood of villagers in the future.
It also empowers students with the ability, knowledge, and independence to produce, create and showcase their ideas that contribute to the improvement of the environment.
In addition, it provides a platform to establish UTP as an effective CSR partner to other organisation.