YOGYAKARTA-Chairman of the President Advisory Council, Prof Dr Emil Salim, hoped that universities get involved in finding solutions to the various environmental problems. He cited that the university besides could get involved in the anticipation and response to disasters, should also think about the use of materials produced by the volcanic eruptions. This is asserted by Emil after presenting the scientific oration at the summit of the 65th Engineering University Day (HPTT) of Faculty of Engineering, Thursday (17/2).
"This is the role of universities, in addition, of course, we must stay clear-headed to see that our region is located in disaster-prone areas," said Emil.
Unfortunately, the issues concerning the environment post-1998 reform actually had less attention than other issues, such as politics and conflicts. In this matter he highlights the role of the media which also plays the issues beyond environmental issues that they value more commercial and more marketable issues to increase corporate revenue.
"Environmental issues are increasingly taken for granted. So, this is where the role of higher education that is free of interest, including political, must appear to raise environmental issues," he said.
Emil also has the opinion that actually from the emergence of natural disaster there are always lessons to be learned. Materials from the natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions can be used as material for buildings, utilization for agriculture to the geothermal energy. "The rapid flow of cold lava flood for example is very likely to be used for geothermal energy. Not to mention the land is fertile after the lava flow can be utilized for agriculture," said the former Minister of Environment.
On that occasion, Emil Salim also reminded people about other challenges such as large population amid the very uneven population distribution. These conditions are compounded by poverty which is still quite large outside Java.
In particular, Emil emphasized the importance of climate change efforts, not due to international pressure, but by considering Indonesia as an archipelagic country located in the tropics that is very prone to climate change, thus having a negative impact on various sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, economy and health.
Almost in line with Emil Salim, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Ir Tumiran, M. Eng, Ph.D, also assessed that the voice of scientist after the1998 reform in relation with environmental issues has been heard and acted upon in small number by the government. In fact, advice and the thinking of scientists from universities in Indonesia are quite strategic.
"Therefore, there is a strong synergy with the involvement of the scientists of this campus. If the voices of scientists were not heard anymore, it is feared that many policies will no longer favor the people such as the rise of commercial industrialization without regard to aspects of the environment," Tumiran said.