Meteorogical Day 2011: Meteorological Disasters Adaptation and Mitigation Talkshow

Oleh UKM Student English Forum

Editor -

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - To commemorate the world meteorological day, the ITB Meteorological Student Union (HMME) held the 2011 Meteorological Day on Wednesday (03/23/11) in the East Campus Center. The event opened with a talkshow themed "Mitigating and Adapting to Meteorological Disasters in Indonesia".

The opening of the event was attended by Prof. Eddy Ariyono Subroto, dean of the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology (FITB). In his opening speech, Eddy stated that one of the subjects taught in FITB is natural disaster management and mitigation. "Almost all majors in the faculty teach natural disaster management and mitigation; it's an increasingly central issue in the study of earth sciences."

The talkshow was opened with an elaboration on Hydrometeorological Disaster Evaluation 2010 delivered by the Head of the Climate Change and Air Quality Office of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Body (BMKG), Dr. Edvin Aldrian.

"2010 was a year without summer in Indonesia. This is due to the climate change caused by global warming," Edvin explained. He continued by mentioning some other visible implications of global warming; faster water cycle change, snowstorm in unexpected parts of the earth, and some infamous disasters such as the recent Australia flood.

Atika Lubis, M.S. explained that the disturbance in earth's atmosphere will have a significant influence on earth's climate. "In Indonesia, meteorology is an important yet underestimated science." Atika, which was the Head of the Atmospheric Science Group, also elaborated a few severe air pollution that has already contaminated many cities across Indonesia; volcano particles contamination, vehicle smoke pollution, as well as industrial waste.

"One of the negative implications of air pollution from vehicles and industries is the increasing frequency of acid rain, which is physically damaging to various properties."

Some of the programs in the Meteorological Day include spreading seeds of plants and trees to the local population, cloud photography competition, and were concluded by the talkshow themed disaster adaptation and mitigation.

 


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