Makmal Perubahan Iklim dan Adaptasi (Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Laboratory)

 
UMT berbesar hati menerima kehadiran Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr. Noraini Ahmad, Menteri Pengajian Tinggi ke kampus, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.
 
Alhamdullillah, terima kasih Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri kerana sudi menyempurnakan majlis perasmian bangunan baharu Institut Bioteknologi Marin (IMB) seterusnya melawat ke Makmal Perubahan Iklim dan Adaptasi (Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Laboratory).
 
Makmal Perubahan Iklim dan Adaptasi atau lebih dikenali sebagai “CCA Lab” adalah antara salah satu makmal di Institut Bioteknologi Marin yang dilengkapi dengan alatan berkelengkapan tinggi dan teknologi yang canggih.
 
Diketuai dan diasaskan oleh saya sendiri, dengan sokongan dana berjumlah RM 3.56 juta oleh Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi, iaitu Geran Penyelidikan Jangka Panjang, “Long Term Research Grant Scheme” yang lebih memfokuskan ke arah penyelidikan adaptasi organisma akuatik terhadap perubahan iklim.
 
Dengan tertubuhnya “CCA Lab” ini, UMT sangat bersedia untuk meneraju penyelidikan yang canggih ke atas adaptasi spesis akuatik terhadap perubahan iklim di Malaysia.
 
Aktiviti penyelidikan di sini akan dapat menggalakkan lagi penghasilan data saintifik dan rujukan utama yang bernilai untuk rakyat, juga buat Negara kita.
 

UMT coming out with sea forecast application

KUALA NERUS: Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) is developing a sea conditions forecasting application that offers five days’ worth of current, wave and ocean temperature data for use in sectors such as recreation, tourism and fisheries.

UMT vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mazlan Abd Ghaffar said work first started on the Malaysia Marine Forecast System (MFast) three years ago, and it will be the first national marine operations system that can also be used in rescue efforts, shipping as well as the oil and gas industry.

He said the warning system was far more accurate compared with using satellites for weather predictions because the data or information gathered from the sea using buoys were more “in situ” or real-time.

“There are a lot of models of weather prediction systems in the world but most are made for global and large-scale use by developed countries such as the United States.

“Therefore, the accuracy for use in Malaysia is not as good as MFast, where real data comes from our own area.

“This will improve the accuracy of the prediction system,” he told Bernama recently.

For the development of the application, which is expected to be completed next year, UMT is working with information technology experts to develop visualisation and simulation features that are more interactive and user-friendly.

UMT to develop sea forecasting system application

KUALA NERUS: Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) is developing a sea forecasting system application for the benefit of the general public.

Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mazlan Abd Ghaffar said the Malaysia Marine Forecast System (MFAST) which was first developed three years ago is the first national marine operations system that offered a five-day current, wave and ocean temperature data for use in all sectors including recreation, tourism, fisheries, rescue, shipping and also the oil and gas industry.

He said the warning system is far more accurate compared with using satellites for weather predictions because the data or information gathered from the sea using buoys are more ‘in situ’ or real-time.

“There are a lot of models of weather prediction systems in the world. But most models are made for global and large-scale use by developed countries such as the United States.

“Therefore, the accuracy for use in Malaysia is not as good as MFAST comparatively where real data come from our own area. This will improve the accuracy of the prediction system,” he said when met by Bernama recently.

For the development of the application which is expected to be completed next year, UMT is working with experts in the field of information technology to develop visualisation and simulation which are more interactive and user-friendly.

He said the main challenge was to transfer the data into an application form that could be easily read by the public thus enabling them to act swiftly during a disaster.

“The IT experts are fine-tuning the system to come out with visualisation that is easily accepted by all because we want the application to be more interactive and able to act fast,” he said.

In the meantime, Mazlan said UMT has also implemented the ‘Engaging Public With Ocean Forecasting System’ programme to provide relevant knowledge related to marine forecasting systems to the public.

Ït is very important for us to educate the public on how to understand the information or ‘maps’ displayed on the screen of any weather prediction system so that they are prepared for disaster,” he said. — Bernama

UMT bangun aplikasi sistem ramalan laut

KUALA NERUS – Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) sedang membangunkan sistem ramalan laut dalam bentuk aplikasi bagi memudahkan penggunaannya dalam kalangan orang awam, kata Naib Canselornya, Profesor Dr Mazlan Abd Ghaffar.

Beliau berkata, Sistem Ramalan Marin Malaysia (MFAST) yang mula dibangunkan tiga tahun lalu adalah sistem operasi marin nasional pertama yang menawarkan ramalan lima hari bagi data arus, gelombang dan suhu lautan untuk kegunaan semua sektor termasuk rekreasi, pelancongan, perikanan, penyelamatan, perkapalan serta industri minyak dan gas.

Katanya, sistem ramalan tersebut jauh lebih tepat berbanding menggunakan satelit seperti kaji cuaca kerana data atau maklumat yang diperoleh dari lautan menggunakan boya adalah secara ‘in situ’ atau keadaan semasa pada waktu itu.

“Terdapat banyak model atau sistem ramalan cuaca yang digunakan di dunia, tetapi kebanyakannya dibuat secara global dan berskala besar oleh negara maju seperti Amerika Syarikat.

“Jadi ketepatan untuk digunakan di Malaysia tidak sebaik berbanding MFAST yang data-data sebenar datangnya dari kawasan kita sendiri. Ini akan meningkatkan lagi ketepatan sistem ramalan tersebut,” katanya ketika ditemui Bernama baru-baru ini.

Bagi pembangunan aplikasi tersebut yang dijangka siap tahun depan, menurut Mazlan, pihaknya bekerjasama dengan pakar dalam bidang teknologi maklumat (IT) bagi menghasilkan visualisasi dan simulasi yang lebih interaktif serta mudah difahami pengguna.

Beliau berkata, cabaran utama adalah untuk memindahkan data ke bentuk aplikasi yang boleh dibaca dengan mudah oleh orang awam sekali gus membolehkan mereka bertindak lebih cepat ketika bencana.

“Pakar IT sedang memperkemaskan sistem untuk menghasilkan visualisasi yang mudah diterima semua kerana kita mahu aplikasi itu lebih interaktif dan cepat,” katanya.
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Dalam pada itu, Mazlan berkata, UMT juga telah melaksanakan program ‘Engaging Public With Ocean Forecasting System’ bagi memberi pengetahuan berkaitan sistem ramalan laut kepada orang awam.

“Amat penting untuk kita mendidik masyarakat tentang bagaimana untuk memahami maklumat atau peta yang dipaparkan di mana-mana sistem ramalan kaji cuaca bagi memastikan kesiapsiagaan dalam menghadapi bencana,” katanya. – Bernama


Artikel Penuh : https://www.sinarharian.com.my/article/179963/EDISI/UMT-bangun-aplikasi-sistem-ramalan-laut
© 2018 Hakcipta Terpelihara Kumpulan Karangkraf

The Quest in Tropical Sea: Coral Spawning

Peneluran batu karang, merupakan salah satu proses asas untuk mengekalkan dan meningkatkan populasi terumbu karang. Tidak seperti kebanyakan haiwan yang lain, larva batu karang terhasil diluar daripada badan induk. Untuk memastikan keberjayaan persenyawaan jutaan telur dan sperma, batu karang menggunakan isyarat-isyarat persekitaran seperti cahaya bulan, suhu air laut, dan pasang surut untuk berkomunikasi di antara spesies mereka untuk peneluran berlaku secara sinkroni. Walau bagaimanapun, fenomena ini boleh terganggu oleh aktiviti antropogenik yang menyebabkan pencemaran, kemusnahan fizikal, exploitasi berleluasa pada sekitaran marin, dan juga impak dari perubahan iklim. Oleh itu, adalah sangat penting untuk kita manusia memelihara keaslian persekitaran untuk kelestarian ekosistem terumbu karang kita yang tidak ternilai.

Now is the best time to communicate climate change action plan

It is devastating to see water gushing down slopes around the Gunung Jerai catchment area, affecting thousands of people in Kedah.

Many started to blame deforestation and some reserved blame for climate change. Twitter feeds started filling up with comments, but few threads attracted attention.

Some Internet users used Google Earth snapshots, comparing freely available high-end satellites images of different time frames, trying to prove what caused it.

In this information age, people need an explanation with substance, not just a theory. Their effort in diving into every accessible information to support their view is nothing short of impressive.

It is progress for Malaysians when people move their trust from theory to empirical data. A positive thing when science becomes the central point of discussion.

Recent trends show that trust in science-based decisions is very high. The vaccination programme is a straightforward example.

Swift action in thumping vaccine sceptics was founded based on scientific explanation. It is time for scientists to increase science advocacy so essential information can be translated into impactful action.

An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, published in early August, is the best tool for it. After all, the 3,000-page report describes it as a “code red for humanity”.

If scientists use this output properly, it might cause fear of the danger of climate change while instilling awareness that we can still do something about it. Both will effectively carry a sense of urgency and climate literacy.

The IPCC report took almost eight years to prepare. It involved a team of 234 scientists from more than 60 countries, among the best in their respective fields.

The report required them to digest nearly 15,000 scientific papers and derive the interconnectivity between them, which carries loads of information on what will change our physical Earth.

Later, 195 representatives from United Nations member countries reviewed the reports in a few stages. It took longer than expected because the first draft of the current report alone had more than 23,000 review comments from experts.

Meanwhile, the second draft had more than 50,000 review comments, which were amended before the preparation of the final draft. It is by far the most comprehensive and sophisticated IPCC report ever made. Because of this lengthy and systematic examination by fellow scientists, it is almost impossible to deny the findings.

So, what does the report find? The IPCC emphasises that the global temperature has increased more than 1.1 per cent, the highest since 125,000 years ago.

The ice melting is at a tipping point and will speed up the sea- level rise, which tells us that coastal erosion will worsen and a few coastal cities will be underwater in a few decades.

Most importantly, for us in Malaysia, the report underlines the increase in extreme weather events such as rainfall, drought, storm and flooding.

To trust the IPCC report is one thing, but to act upon it is another. The education sector is trying its best to develop this trait. Because, for several decades, there have been widespread and organised campaigns to generate scepticism in science. Some were funded by big industries threatened by the findings of modern science.

Ideas flow swiftly in this Internet age, where social media influencers and celebrities can easily give traction to these silly ideas through their millions of followers.

Our climate is changing, so must our approach. The changes we need to make are complex, especially when we lack the skills to communicate our findings and increase public literacy on climate-related action.

This effort demands large-scale, collective action: to build and create interest, change mindsets, have radically better public advocacy and perhaps, rebuild our education system.

Modern society relies on trust in experts. We must grab this opportunity with the most extensive data and information available to us. Now is the best time to communicate climate change action.

Like the Covid-19 vaccination programme, we want to translate information into action. Just knowing and agreeing about vaccines is not enough without taking the jab.

The same goes for climate change. It is happening and we can feel it. Many of the most dire effects of climate change can still be avoided by taking action. 


 

The writer is a professor and director, Institute of Oceanography and Environment, UMT

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times