UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga ( UNAIR ) is committed to solving global crises, including the climate crisis. This commitment was shown by holding a guest lecture by the European Union Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, HE Vincent Piket, on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. Being held in Kahuripan Room 301, Management Office, MERR Campus C, the guest lecture raised the theme “Averting a Climate Crisis: EU-Indonesia Cooperation for the Green Economy”.

HE Vincent Piket reminded various parties that the current climate crisis has become a real threat to global countries. To overcome this issue, various approaches are needed, considering the different backgrounds of countries in the world. In addition, said Vincent, the global community should not close its eyes to that challenges, and significant steps must be made.

“This crisis ultimately forces us to find new spaces and grow a better living environment. We have many crises globally, and we must realize that there are many challenges, and big steps are needed to solve them,” said Vincent.

In this regard, the European Union is working with various countries, including Indonesia, to commit to overcoming the climate crisis by focusing on a circular economy that emphasizes 3R: reuse, reduce, recycle. Furthermore, he continued, several things must be done globally, such as strengthening joint synergy through the recent G20 meetings. HE Vincent Piket also said that holding university meetings is an essential agenda to be carried out to strengthen cooperation and concern for crisis resolution.

“Overcoming this crisis globally can be done through a meeting of countries, like the last G20 summit. Especially when it also emphasizes the importance of a green economy, which indeed plays an important role in overcoming this crisis,” he said.

“Secondly, a university meeting like this is also a very important platform to build cooperation and concern for jointly dealing with the climate crisis,” added Vincent.

The increasing discourse on the climate crisis is in line with strengthening the green economy, which is currently the global community’s focus. Therefore, at the end of his lecture, HE Vincent stressed the importance of green economy trade agreements. According to him, through a trade agreement, countries that play a role in it can focus on economic investment that supports sustainable development in the long term. “That is why trade and economic cooperation can support sustainable development in the future,” he concluded. This guest lecture is a part of a series of cooperation visits between the European Union and Indonesia to overcome the climate crisis and realize the green economy.