Women talk about Climate Change: from Engineering and Technology to Communication and Diplomacy Approach

In relation to the IEEE Climate Change Initiative, the IEEE Indonesia Women in Engineering (WIE) contributed by conducting a Women’s talk about Climate Change at the PLN-sponsored 2023 ENLIT ASIA Exhibition on 16 November 2023 in Jakarta Indonesia.

The talk was pearheaded by Prof. Riri Fitri Sari, the Coordinator of the WIE Group and Chair of UI GreenMetric, together with speakers from the TVRI Supervisory Board, Dr. Agnes Irwanti, the Vice Chair of IEEE Indonesia Section, and Dr. Emilia Yustiningrum, Senior Researcher from Research Center for Politics of the National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN). The speakers examined climate change issues and solutions from various angles, from engineering and technology to communication and diplomacy.

This session was moderated by Dr. Afny Catur Andryani and Dr. Dewi Yanti Liliana. Prof Riri Fitri Sari presented UI GreenMetric and GreenCityMetric, which in terms of climate change mitigation programs, contribute to 6 out of 17 SDGs, particularly affordable and clean energy, and climate action. This initiative forces the community to be more creative in providing solutions to reduce carbon footprints as an effort in climate change mitigation.

The second speaker, Dr Agnes Irwanti shared the Indonesian State-owned Television Company’s experience in the migration from analog to digital national television broadcasting which apparently contributed to the climate change action for the power consumption reduction in television transmission and energy usage efficiency. The last speaker, Dr Emelia Yustiningrum, described the Indonesian journey as a country regarding climate change action through diplomacy. It is obvious that the leaders of a nation play an important role in the action of climate change mitigation.

Empowering women in climate action is recognized as a vital strategy for achieving sustainable development goals. Additionally, women’s knowledge and skills in areas such as engineering, biodiversity, and policy and diplomacy practices contribute to more holistic and effective approaches to climate change mitigation. Women play a crucial role in climate change mitigation efforts. Their contributions span various aspects of environmental sustainability, technology, and diplomacy. Women are often at the forefront of local and community-based initiatives, demonstrating resilience and innovative solutions to address the challenges posed by climate change.

Report submitted by Dr Agnes Irwanti

Author: Vijay S Paul

Chair, 2023 IEEE R10 Information Management Committee