ITB Climate Change Center Discusses Cross-Sector Collaboration to Address Climate Change Impacts on Health
By Rayhan Adri Fulvian - Mahasiswa Teknik Geofisika, 2021
Editor M. Naufal Hafizh, S.S.
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – The Webinar Series “Series 1: Global, National, and Local Issues Related to Climate Change and Its Impacts”, held online on Wednesday (August 7, 2024), served as an important forum for discussing the challenges of climate change and its impact on health.
This webinar was part of the Initiative to Establish the Indonesian Center of Excellence for Climate Change in the Health Sector through a collaborative network of universities, supported by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Health, and organized by the Climate Change Center, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB).
The Head of the Climate Change Adaptation and Environmental Disaster Task Force, Donal Simanjuntak, SKM, M.K.M., explained that climate change increases health risks, such as extreme temperatures, floods, and droughts. It also threatens food security and water quality, which significantly impact public health. In this regard, universities play a crucial role in strengthening research capacity and education related to climate change and health.
A speaker from UNICEF, Abheet Solomon, also highlighted children's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. This was followed by a speaker from the World Health Organization (WHO), who emphasized that diseases such as dengue fever and malaria are on the rise due to climate change. This underscores the need to enhance the resilience of our healthcare system to address these challenges.
The webinar also emphasized the need for cross-sector collaboration. Prof. Ir. Djoko Santoso Abi Suroso, Ph.D., from the ITB Climate Change Center, stated that universities have a highly strategic role in tackling climate change, particularly through education, research, and community engagement. He pointed out the importance of universities becoming centers of excellence in climate change adaptation, capable of producing research and practical solutions to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change in the health sector.
Additionally, Irawan Asaad, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), introduced the Climate Village Program, which aims to enhance climate resilience at the local level by involving various sectors and communities.
This webinar reinforced that addressing climate change issues and their impacts on health at the global, national, and local levels, requires collective effort and innovation through research, policies, and programs that engage multiple stakeholders.
Reporter: Rayhan Adri Fulvian (Geophysical Engineering, 2021)
Translator: Yafi Amri (Meteorology, 2021)
