“Kalimantan has extraordinary comparative advantages, extensive peatlands and mangroves. We just need to build competitive advantages through cross-border collaboration research,” Nurofiq said on Thursday during a speech in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.
His remarks came at the 6th International Conference on Chemical Engineering and Applied Sciences (ICChEAS), hosted by Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) under the theme “Green Chemistry.”
Nurofiq said that sustainable green industry must start in higher education. He urged universities to cultivate systematic, ethical, and socially empathetic mindsets so that scientific progress benefits both nature and humanity.
ULM Rector Ahmad Alim Bachri affirmed the university’s commitment to contributing to global environmental solutions.
He said ULM strives to conduct research that is academically solid and practically relevant to sustainable development and environmental challenges.
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“ULM, as a world-class university, actively collaborates in international, environment-based research,” he said.
The conference—titled “Borneo’s Mangroves: A Nexus of Biodiversity, Sustainable Future, and Carbon Sequestration”—was held in hybrid format, drawing participants from such countries as the United States, Australia, China, France, and Japan.
It brought together researchers, policymakers, and industry experts to exchange ideas, foster innovation, and strategize on preserving mangrove ecosystems as biodiversity hubs and natural carbon sinks.
Speakers emphasized mangrove ecosystems’ critical roles in sequestering carbon, protecting coastal communities, and supporting biodiversity.
They also discussed cross-border research cooperation, restoration techniques, and policy instruments to scale up conservation initiatives.
By positioning universities at the heart of conservation planning, Indonesia aims to accelerate research-driven action and amplify the impact of local and international efforts to protect Kalimantan’s vital ecosystems.
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Translator: Firman, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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