About IMELC

Iskandar Malaysia Ecolife Challenge (IMELC) is a high impact project organized by Johor State Education Department (JPNJ), Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) since 2013. The implementation of IMELC for 2024 is in collaboration between Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP), SWM Environment Sdn. Bhd., and Ranhill SAJ Sdn. Bhd. as the Main Partner while Segamat Municipal Council and Heng Hiap Industries as the Supporting Partner. IMELC 2024 also received support from the Yayasan Hasanah and UNICEF. Since 2021, IMELC has been digitalised and run fully through website sponsored by United Nations Development Programme or UNDP Accelerator Labs and supported by Green Technology Application of the Development of Low Carbon Cities (GTALCC). IMELC is one of the key activities under RCE Iskandar - Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) on Education and Sustainable Development supported by United Nations University. IMELC aims to create awareness of Low Carbon Society (LCS) among students, teachers, and their families in achieving the target of carbon reduction for Iskandar Malaysia (IM) by the year 2025 as outlined in the Low Carbon Society Blueprint for Iskandar Malaysia 2025 (LCSBPIM2025). IRDA recently launched Low Carbon Blueprint Iskandar Malaysia 2030 Climate Action Plan at the 27th Conference of Parties (COP) in Egypt to tackle the growing climate change predicament. The document acknowledges IMELC as one of the key programmes to Enhance and Support Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA) for Low Carbon Initiatives for Iskandar Malaysia. IMELC is aligned with Malaysia's target of becoming a carbon-neutral nation as early as 2050 by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of gross domestic product (GDP) by 45% in 2030. IMELC is a student learning activity on LCS that is conducted as formal or informal education in a school setting. It can also be conducted as a supplementary learning activity or inter-school competition. IMELC is a part of programs under the Johor Sustainability Education Action Plan 2019-2025 to develop a culture of sustainable development among the students and to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals. 2024 is the twelfth (12th) year of IMELC implementation and will benefit approximately 100,000 Year 6 students from 907 primary schools in Johor.