The Green Technology and Climate Change Council (MTHPI) was set up by the Johor government to draw up long-term strategies in tackling the problem of sudden climate change by using green technology.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the council would also, among others, be a platform for planning, coordinating and monitoring of the implementation of green technology development programmes, and development of low carbon emission townships and green neighbourhoods.
To smoothen operations, MTHPI would be overseen by four committees, namely adaptation, neighbourhood, development and industrial, he told reporters after chairing the council’s first meeting, here, today.
He was confident that the focus and areas of implementation steered by the council could achieve success through the drawing up of comprehensive strategies.
“Hopefully, all these efforts can be the prime mover in supporting the Johor State Environment Policy,” said Khaled, adding that the initiative would also be coordinated together with the State Economic Planning Unit and Iskandar Regional Development Authority.
He said the rapid development in Johor with various mega projects being carried out, particularly in Iskandar Malaysia and the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project in Pengerang, required environment-friendly planning and approaches, hence the setting up of MTHPI was timely.
Khaled said among the strategies and efforts discussed were encouraging the collection of rain water to help ease the water supply problem in the state and studying the use of LED lights and solar energy by the local authorities to reduce costs.
The Neighbourhood Committee in MTHPI will be headed by state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Abd Latif Bandi and the Adaptation Committee by state Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat.
The Development Committee will be led by Public Works and Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad and the Industrial Committee by state Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong.
