Climate action requires all countries, states, public and private entities, and citizens to act accordingly based on the SDG-framework. Many countries have taken various significant initiatives to address “action-able” policies, programs and activities. Despite such initiatives, learned and concerned citizens have higher demand for speedy and transformative climate action. However, on the other extreme, some countries have many other priorities to address immediately, thus climate issue has been classified as “international relations and global initiatives”. Through the SDG Index, published annually since 2016 by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), countries have been ranked, based on SDG parameters. In general, the top 30 countries have been consistent in addressing sustainable development and responding to climate action proactively. The bottom half have different internal and cultural priorities in addressing climate change. How to get them on board, and proactively engage all parties to embark on Climate Action?
About the speaker:
Zaini Ujang is a Kuala Lumpur-based environmental strategist and author who has worked in academia, government and industry. He spent most of his career at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and has served as Vice-Chancellor/President, Secretary General of three ministries in Malaysia and serves on several corporate boards of universities and industries. He writes and travels widely to share his views on eco-shift, eco-habits and environmental strategy; new academia, entrepreneurial university and knowledge culture, including at MIT, Imperial College London, Lund and Tsukuba. During his spare time, Zaini advises corporations and governments on environmental management and technology, climate action and river economy, and avidly promotes reading, cycling and hiking. He has written 40 books, more than 300 scientific articles and 2,000 articles in mainstream media since 1988.