International Greentech & Eco-Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM) 2019

Held from 9 to 11 October 2019, the 10th International Greentech & Eco-Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia 2019 (IGEM 2019) was an annual flagship event organised by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment & Climate Change (MESTECC) and the Malaysia Green Technology Corporation (MGTC), creating a platform for solution providers and Green businesses to tap into the fast-expanding ASEAN market by showcasing the latest innovations to policymakers, government organisations, investors and the mass market. The International Urban Sustainability & Green Building (IUSGBC) Conference 2019 is organised by the Malaysia Green Building Council (malaysiaGBC) in conjunction with IGEM 2019 and is supported by the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). It is a platform to promote the value of waste and its possibilities within a circular economy.

Innovating sustainability

Spearheaded by Yang Berhormat Puan Yeo Bee Yin, the Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, IGEM 2019, themed Innovating Sustainability, had over 300 booths on renewable energy, energy efficiency, transport, waste, water, manufacturing and agriculture sectors, with a view to anchor sustainability in innovations across all industries. IGEM 2019 witnessed a total of 16 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs). To encourage greater uptake of renewable energy, YB Puan Yeo Bee Yin announced the introduction of a Green tariff to enable Malaysians to opt for sustainable energy sources, as part of the Reimagining Malaysia’s Electricity Supply Industry proposal (MESI 2.0). She elaborated that the Green tariff would be in the form of a tariff rider that will give consumers an option to use energy that has been generated exclusively from renewable sources such as solar, biomass or biogas.

The minister also launched the Malaysian Green Attribute Tracking System (MGATS), a dedicated national platform for tracking and trading of Green attributes from renewable energy generation, tasked with tracing and verifying national renewable energy sources. MGATS will also facilitate the issuance of tradable renewable energy certificates, which will form a key component in encouraging Green investments.

To strengthen institutional capability and capacity for delivering on the climate change agenda, the minister announced that effective from 2 October 2019, Malaysian Green Technology Corporation, the co-organiser of IGEM, has been rebranded as the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Centre. The rebranded organisation will have an expanded portfolio that will include strategising climate-resilience actions, leading inter-ministerial collaborations, encouraging uptake of Green technology innovations across industries and raising awareness among the general public. It will also act as a hub for climate change data, policy analysis, reporting and monitoring of mitigation actions and climate change adaptation on the national level.

GEM 2019 hosted 300 exhibitors and 35,000 visitors from 35 countries. With the increasing emphasis on climate mitigation and adaptation, next year’s IGEM, themed Energising Sustainability, will encourage exhibitors and participants to showcase their commitment to balance socio-economic progress with environmental concerns to collectively ensure a secure and sustainable future.

For more information, please visit www.igem.my.