“Empowering Youth to Combat Climate Change: The Impact of Education in Johor”

The impact of climate change in Johor, particularly along the state’s 400km long coastline, is a pressing issue that is being addressed through innovative youth education programmes. One such initiative, the “SDG Summit 2024: East Territory”, focused on the theme of “Climate Action in Reducing the Impact of Climate Change” and took place at the beachside homestay project of Kampungstay Teluk Buih in Mersing, Johor.

Organized by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the summit aimed to raise awareness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event also received support from the Global Environment Centre (GEC), Tengah Island Conservation (TIC), and Reef Check Malaysia.

Specifically targeting SDGs 11, 12, 13, and 14, the summit focused on reducing the environmental impact of cities, creating a sustainable consumption-production circle, upskilling communities towards green living, and restoring ecosystems. In his speech at the event, Datuk Ragu Sampasivam, the council’s chief operating officer, emphasized ECERDC’s commitment to minimizing urban environmental impact, raising awareness for climate action strategies, and increasing local participation in achieving SDG targets to enhance the quality of life.

The Kampungstay Teluk Buih project exemplifies ECERDC’s “Rainforest to Reef” (R2R) development strategy, which leverages Mersing’s natural assets from the Endau-Rompin National Park to its beaches, islands, and reefs. The growth of the tourism sector in this zone has enabled locals to supplement their income through tourism, aligning with SDG 8.

As part of the summit activities, mangrove tree-planting initiatives were conducted to educate Mersing youths on safeguarding ecosystems that support their seaside communities. Another homestay project, KampungStay Air Papan, achieved SDG 9 by benefiting communities in the area north of Mersing through the development of tourism infrastructure.

Collaborative efforts with the Mersing District Office and Kelab Sahabat Cakna Lembah Pantai resulted in the planting of 200 mangrove trees along the barrier wall of the KampungStay project in 2021. This initiative aimed to prevent coastal erosion, transform coastal habitats for marine life, reduce carbon dioxide levels, and enhance environmental quality and aesthetic value.

The summit also included briefings by UNDP, TIC, and GEC on the SDGs, practical activities like tree planting, trash segregation games, interactive quizzes on conservation, and demonstrations on waste transformation technology. The event was attended by various stakeholders, including government officials, environmental officers, and representatives from local authorities.

In moving towards empowering youths to protect oceanic and island ecosystems, as well as emphasizing reef and marine biodiversity preservation, the summit paved the way for a subsequent gathering in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. These summits have set the stage for the nationwide Malaysia SDG Summit 2024 scheduled for July, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development.