SDG 14 has ten targets to ensure our oceans, rivers, lakes and any body of water on our planet is well taken care of by reducing pollution, responsible resource management, conserving endangered areas and species, supporting communities that rely on this resource and much more.
Research
Biodiversity Expert Panel for Climate Governance Malaysia
Prof. Gopalasamy Reuben Clements from the School of Medical and Life Sciences and the Jeffrey Sachs Center was invited by the Terengganu State Parks Management Council to present research findings to support the gazettement of this island as a protected area - this is vital if want to achieve Target 6 of the NPBD and SDG Goals 14 and 15 (Life Below Water and Life On Land).
Teaching
Beach Clean Up
The School of Medical and Life Sciences arranged a community project to target SDG 14 and SDG 12. This program conducted over the course of 3 weeks aimed to bring to light the serious pollution crisis that has plagued our beautiful national beaches for many years until it has now become the new norm. With this project, students aimed to raise awareness towards a larger audience to prioritize the importance of conserving and protecting our marine resources. To accomplish these objectives, #Duit4Earth is based on a two-pronged approach. Firstly by converting the rubbish we have collected from the beach into money using Alam Flora’s BuyBack centres. This not only ensures that the rubbish will be disposed responsibly but also to motivate the public to practice recycling as a return on investment! Furthermore, the proceeds from this program will be donated to WWF-Malaysia to fund their marine life initiative that has helped protect multiple marine and coastal ecosystems for over 50 years!
University Operations
Sewerage Systems Maintenance
Policies and procedures are in place for handling and management of hazardous waste from laboratories. Without proper maintenance for toxic waste, it will be discarded into bodies of water, causing water pollution. This is achieved through ensuring no leakage of hazardous/toxic chemicals into water systems – by implementing proper waste disposal measures and carrying out scheduled preventive maintenance on sewerage systems to prevent blockage and leakage into water systems.
