Hablum Minal Alam: UIN Jakarta Students Champion Climate Action and Waste Management Innovation
Diorama Hall, UIN Online News — The climate crisis is no longer merely a global narrative—it has become a tangible reality on the campus of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta in Ciputat. Responding to increasingly extreme temperatures, data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicate that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with the global average temperature rising by 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels. At the local level, Ciputat, South Tangerang, has also been identified as one of Indonesia's hottest urban areas.
In response to these environmental challenges, the Student Executive Council (DEMA), in collaboration with 2030 YouthForce Indonesia, organized a seminar entitled "Hablum Minal Alam: Islam and Youth Climate Action" at the Diorama Hall on Monday (27/4/2026). As part of the YouthForce SDGs Roadshow, the event aimed to educate and empower 100 UIN Jakarta students to better understand the urgency of the climate crisis and encourage meaningful environmental action.
Gevin, Project Officer of the ASASI Program at 2030 YouthForce Indonesia, emphasized the importance of engaging UIN Jakarta students, noting the university's proximity to major waste management challenges in South Tangerang. He cited research indicating that only 20 percent of Indonesians consider climate change a serious threat, while the remaining 80 percent still perceive it as an ordinary phenomenon.
"Waste is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions, worsening the climate crisis. As agents of change, university students must abandon harmful habits and replace them with innovative and sustainable solutions," Gevin stated.
Waste Management Innovations: From Households to Industry
The seminar also introduced several practical innovations that students and the wider community can adopt to reduce waste and promote environmental sustainability, including:
- Recycling Used Cooking Oil – Transforming used cooking oil into products such as aromatherapy candles or liquid soap, thereby preventing water pollution and environmental contamination.
- Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Technology – Utilizing Hermetia illucens larvae to efficiently decompose organic waste, producing compost and other products with economic value.
- Digital Waste Management – Leveraging digital platforms developed by companies such as Reposistem, Duity, and Armada Kemasan to facilitate the collection of sorted household waste directly from residents.
- Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) – Applying automated waste-sorting technologies, including optical sorting systems, magnets, and eddy current separators, to efficiently recover recyclable materials on a large scale.
The closure of the Cipecang landfill at the end of 2025 due to overcapacity was highlighted as a reminder of the urgent need for improved waste management practices. Participants were encouraged to adopt a new perspective: materials become "waste" only when mixed together, but become valuable "resources" when properly sorted.
The seminar concluded by reaffirming the commitment of the Faculty of Economics and Business Student Executive Council (DEMA FEB) of UIN Jakarta to strengthening student participation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to environmental protection and sustainability. Through collaboration between student organizations, educational communities, and international partners, the initiative seeks to build collective action capable of creating meaningful and lasting environmental impact while fostering a more sustainable campus for future generations.