Speech by YAB Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang for Climate Modelling & Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) Training for Early Career Researchers opening session on 15 October 2021.

Good afternoon to everyone and welcome to this significant event.

In today’s data-driven world, having a talent pool to collect valuable data to address climate change is becoming increasingly vital.

Big data has become a global topic in recent years due to its ability to uncover patterns in the chaos of information explosion.

It has been touted as an important tool in climate-related studies, where it aids in problem solving by identifying pressure points and data to serve as the basis for forecasts.

There is a need to fill the gaps in our nations’ technical capacity to address climate-related issues, through quality data collection, analysis, and the skills required to produce accurate and holistic climate modelling.

As such, to better prompt future data collection, today’s event aims to encourage youths to engage and highlight their perspectives on the availability of climate change data in Malaysia.

In collaboration with the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, the Penang State Government also hope to establish networks and partnerships between UK-MY scientists in the areas of GHG inventory and climate modelling.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Derived from big data, the trajectory for global warming based on current emission to date is beyond 1.5°C and potentially 2°C.

Based on future projections, the average annual temperature in Malaysia is expected to rise from 0.6°C to 1.0°C in 2030 and 1.2°C to 1.6°C in 2050.

To better prepare the country for its impact, public awareness and empowerment are critical now for a climate resilient community in the future.

In light of this, the Penang Green Council has taken the initiative to produce a report on Climate Change Impact in Penang to highlight the matter to policymakers and the wider society in Penang.

Through the Penang Green Agenda 2030, the state is also emphasizing the importance of data accessibility and transparency in strengthening our decision-making process.

We hope that our collective efforts, particularly those from today’s event, will assist the state in further implementing climate change adaptation plans in order to achieve the state’s Penang2030 vision of “A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation“.

Last but not least, I wish you a fruitful session and I take this opportunity to encourage all youths to actively participate in such meaningful environmental movements. Make the choice and the change you want to see tomorrow. The future is yours.

Thank you.