Help us combat climate change, Abang Jo tells scientists

BY ALEXANDRA LORNA & NURIN PATRA

KUCHING: The Sarawak government is inviting scientists to contribute to the state’s efforts in environmental preservation and develop new policy approaches to combat climate change.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg highlighted Sarawak’s focus on leveraging its resources to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“We know very well that carbon is a culprit, but how to balance this carbon with fresh oxygen.

“Therefore, the Sarawak government is giving emphasis on forest preservation. And in that area, we are talking about carbon storage. We hope that the forest and our mangrove will absorb carbon and produce more oxygen,” he said.

He speaking during the  2nd International Conference on Tropical Sciences (TROPSC)  2024 dinner at Waterfront Hotel on Wednesday (Oct 16).

Abang Johari pointed out that Sarawak’s abundance of water resources, including hydropower, positions the state to be a leader in hydrogen production despite the current high cost of electrolysis.

“At the same time, in our transportation sector, we want to use hydrogen as our main fuel, because scientists say the cleanest energy is hydrogen. And thank God, Sarawak still has a lot of water from the rain, from our forest catchment area and from our rivers.

“And water is basically hydrogen and oxygen. The only problem we are facing is the cost of splitting the two molecules, hydrogen and oxygen. The electrolysis cost is high, because you need the power.

“But thank God, we have the hydropower. And we use that hydropower, renewable energy, to produce hydrogen. And we hope that over time, the cost of producing hydrogen will be cheaper,” he added.

Abang Johari also emphasised the state’s investment in science and technology, particularly in education, as a key strategy to address global environmental challenges.

“We are investing a lot of our budget for educational purposes. And one of the areas that we are giving emphasis is science. Think science, develop science and develop technology.

“I hope the conference in Kuching will give us a certain insight on what to do and how to explore the asset in the tropics so that we are able to contribute to mitigate issues facing the world today,” he said.

CAPTIONS: Photo JAPEN.