Kuala terengganu: Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has launched the ‘Growing Green for the Land of Ice’ programme in support of global efforts to address the melting ice of Antarctica, an issue that significantly impacts the world’s climate.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, programme coordinator Associate Professor Dr Wan Rauhan Wan Hussin stated that the initiative was carried out in collaboration with various partners, including the Ija Plastic Gang and the Pengkalan Jie fishing community, coordinated by the National Antarctic Research Centre-UMT (NARC-UMT). The activities conducted included planting Rhu and Ketapang saplings along UMT’s coastal area, made possible through contributions from the Terengganu Forestry Department.

”Growing Green for the Land of Ice’ is not only about tree planting, but it also incorporates awareness activities on the role of polar ecosystems in maintaining global climate stability. Apart from functioning as a carbon absorber that helps reduce the problem of global warming, planting Rhu and Ketapang species trees is a natural mitigation measure in addressing the increasingly significant issue of coastal erosion,” he said in a statement today.

Wan Rauhan added that the initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasise climate action, biodiversity protection, and the sustainable management of coastal areas. He said UMT, through its collaboration with the National Antarctic Research Centre-Yayasan Penyelidikan Antartika Sultan Mizan (NARC-YPASM), is now among the leading institutions in polar research in Malaysia.

‘Recent studies show that Antarctic ice is melting at an increasingly alarming rate due to rising ocean temperatures and changes in natural ecosystems. These changes are affecting weather patterns globally, including in Southeast Asia. Although Malaysia is far from the Antarctic continent, local mitigation measures such as tree planting, coastal conservation, and reducing carbon footprints can still contribute positively to climate stability,’ he said.