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Flash floods. Raging storms. Scorching temperature. Climate change manifests itself in unprecedented ways, and it is a challenge faced by every living being. The vision of the cities of the future, cutting carbon pollution, expanding clean energy, protection of wildlife – how much have we done and to what effect? How do we build a better world for our communities and future generations.
The Conference aims to increase awareness on environmental issues, build capacity and train youth leaders to become environmental champions.
The youths of today are the leaders of tomorrow and Rotary Eco Warriors will be the catalyst for change in youths towards the environment.
This Conference also will lead to Malaysian and global initiatives, projects, and activities to address climate change issues and help reduce impacts of climate change on the environment and the communities.
The only common factor with all human beings is our earth until Covid struck! Then, it became an additional common factor affecting every human on earth. And due to the pandemic, the evolution of environment management saw an urgency like never before.
The entire populations came to a standstill and the skies cleared, the air became fresh, unseen birds appeared, rivers became clear and there has been measurable change in the amount of pollutants in the air – but not for long.
This has resulted in more people especially the younger generation becoming more concerned about the environmental challenges and have a renewed interest and that is the main objective of our Sustainable Actions Climate Conference.
This initiative by Rotary International Malaysia is jointly organised by the District Action Group on Environmental Sustainability (DAGES), Rotaractors and Interactors.
Let’s pledge to make the Earth a greener and healthier place and remember, every little effort helps.
Bindi Rajasegaran
Dato’ Bindi Rajasegaran
District Governor RY 21/22
Rotary International District 3300 Malaysia
Malaysia Time (GMT +8). To check what time this will be in your city, click here.
By Dato’ Bindi Rajasegaran, District Governor Rotary International District 3300 Malaysia (RY2021-22)
Environment as Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus
By Past Rotary International President K R Ravindran
Bhutan – Carbon Negative, Leadership Positive
By Mr. Tashi Jamtsho, Country Director of World Wildlife Fund Bhutan Office
Dr. Christopher Puttock, ESRAG Chair (2019-2021)
International Forum moderated by Ir Dr Kribanandan G Naidu
Panelists:
PROF. GABRIELE VILLARINI – Director of IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, USA
DR SARAH KARIKÓ – Research Director, Gossamer Labs and Associate, Dept. of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, USA
SHAH REDZA HUSSEIN – Director of Perak State Parks, Malaysia
DR RASHED MUSTAFA SARWAR – UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam
MILLA BRUNEAU – Executive Director, European Green Capital 2021 Project, Lahti, Finland
Youth Plenary moderated by Azrina Abdullah
Panelists:
FAIRUL IZMAL JAMAL HISNE – Vice-Chairperson & Co-Founder, The MareCet Research Organization
DR SURIA SELASIH ANGIT – Assistant Professor, Centre for Academic Partnership and Engagement, University of Nottingham Malaysia
POH CHIN HUI – Manager, KPMG Management and Risk Consulting Sdn. Bhd
VISHNUVARTHAN MUNIANDI – Senior Executive, Climate Change Management (Upstream), PETRONAS
By Ir Dr Dhileepan Nair
Organising Chair, Global Climate Conference
Co-Chair, District Action Group on Environmental Sustainability
KR Ravindran is CEO of a publicly listed company which he founded with a worldwide clientele in the tea packaging industry. He also serves on the board of several other companies and charitable trusts. He is the founding president of the Sri Lanka Anti- Narcotics Association.
As his country’s national PolioPlus Chair, Ravi headed a task force consisting of the government, UNICEF, and Rotary and worked closely with UNICEF to successfully negotiate a ceasefire with the northern militants during National Immunization Days.
A Rotarian since 1974, Ravi has served RI as treasurer; director; Foundation trustee; committee member, vice chair, and chair; task force member; RI training leader; and district governor. He also chaired the Schools Reawakening project, sponsored by Rotary clubs and districts in Sir Lanka,
to rebuild 25 tsunami-devastated schools to benefit 15,000 children.
Ravi was instrumental in recommending the inclusion of “Support Our Environment “ as Rotary International’s seventh area of focus.
Fog-enshrouded temples nestled in mountainous terrains gives you a glimpse of what makes Bhutan a top-travel destination. This country is the only carbon-negative country in the world.
The government of Bhutan bases political decisions on a Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, and abandoning economic growth as their compass.
It’s the only country in the world to make such a switch and the first country to become carbon negative.
Keynote Speaker
Past Rotary International President
Keynote Speaker
Country Director of World Wildlife Fund Bhutan Office
Special Message
ESRAG Chair (2019-2021)
International Forum
Executive Director, European Green Capital 2021 Project, Lahti, Finland
International Forum
Director of IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, USA
International Forum
Research Director, Gossamer Labs and Associate, Dept. of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, USA
International Forum
UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam
International Forum
Director of Perak State Parks, Malaysia
Youth Plenary
Vice-Chairperson & Co-Founder, The MareCet Research Organization
Youth Plenary
Assistant Professor at the Centre for Academic Partnership and Engagement, University of Nottingham Malaysia
Youth Plenary
Manager, KPMG Management and Risk Consulting Sdn Bhd
Youth Plenary
Senior Executive, Climate Change Management (Upstream), PETRONAS
MODERATOR
Founding member of District Action Group on Environmental Sustainability President, Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK)
Managing Director, JTK Consult Sdn Bhd
Moderator
Managing Director, SDG Synergy
EMCEE
Master of Ceremonies
Youth Plenary
Head of Climate Change
Petronas
Snap a picture of you hugging a tree. Registration to the conference is required for participation.
Spread the love, stay safe and win cash prizes!
RE-SCHEDULING CLOSING DATE FOR HUG-OUR-TREE #HOTCHIPKPIX PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST
The Organisers of the HugOurTree #HOTCHIPKOPIX Photography Contest in conjunction with the virtual Global Climate Conference on 4 July, 2021 have decided to indefinitely postpone the Photography contest until the end of MCO is decided by the Government.
Stay Home. Stay Safe. Spread the Love for Nature.
IN ROTARY DISTRICT 3300 MALAYSIA
Threats to the world’s forests are growing. We are losing forests at a rate of 48 football fields per minute because of human activity. Protecting our forests helps sustain nature’s diversity, benefit our climate and support human well-being.
#HugOurTree@The Rotary Peace Park is a Rotary led tree-planting campaign for West Malaysia.
This initiative will be launched at the Climate Conference on 4 July 2021.
The Rotary Peace Park Malaysia is the first in Malaysia and in Asia that offers recreational facilities for the local community, university students and the general public.
The park has the potential to be a prominent eco- tourism centre with migratory birds habitat, the nearby firefly park, the peat forest of Raja Musa and the coastal mangrove forest of Kuala Selangor.
Themed Water for Peace, it is part of Rotary’s effort in building a greener and sustainable future.
Rotary Eco Warriors are a community of Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors who are passionate about reversing the damaging impacts of climate change on people and our planet earth. The public are strongly encouraged to support the Manifesto and participate as “Friends of Rotary Eco Warriors”.
This will be launched at the Climate Conference on 4 July 2021.
in conjunction with the Global Climate Conference
Registration is now closed. However you may still view the conference via the live stream on 4 July 2021 at 830am (Malaysia Time GMT +8) here on this website. Just visit this website again on the day of the conference.
If you have any questions about this free online conference, do drop us a line below and we will get back to you shortly.
288A, 1st Floor, Jalan Bandar 11
Taman Melawati
53100 Kuala Lumpur
MILLA BRUNEAU is the Executive Director for the Lahti European Green Capital 2021 project. Prior to this she has led several international tv- and film-companies. Her experience for the Green Capital initiative evolved from her political career as a decision maker in the Lahti City Council since 2013. Her interest in city politics rose from following the determination Lahti had in its urban and environmental policy solutions.
During her first term Bruneau acted i.e. as the chairman of her own political group (National Coalition Party) and as a member of the Lahti City Board. During her second term in office, she became the chairman of the Lahti City Council and was the first woman in the city’s history to do so.
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. Running strong for upwards of 110 years, Rotary uses its expansive network to enact positive change for its focus areas: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economies and the latest addition – supporting the environment.
Rotaract clubs bring together people ages 18 and older to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service. In communities worldwide, Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to take action through service.
Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Interact clubs organise projects that help their school or community and another one that promotes international understanding. Rotary club sponsors mentor and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills.
Formed in 2018, DAGES creates environmental awareness about issues prevalent in our society and communities, inspires actions, and assists in developing projects and initiatives to address these issues through Interact Clubs, Rotaract Clubs and Rotary Clubs. DAGES welcomes partnership and collaboration with corporates, local authorities, NGOs, the community and individuals to together ensure sustainability for our environment.
KR Ravindran is CEO of a publicly listed company which he founded with a worldwide clientele in the tea packaging industry. He also serves on the board of several other companies and charitable trusts. He is the founding president of the Sri Lanka Anti- Narcotics Association.
As his country’s national PolioPlus Chair, Ravi headed a task force consisting of the government, UNICEF, and Rotary and worked closely with UNICEF to successfully negotiate a ceasefire with the northern militants during National Immunization Days.
A Rotarian since 1974, Ravi has served RI as treasurer; director; Foundation trustee; committee member, vice chair, and chair; task force member; RI training leader; and district governor. He also chaired the Schools Reawakening project, sponsored by Rotary clubs and districts in Sir Lanka, to rebuild 25 tsunami-devastated schools to benefit 15,000 children.
Ravi was instrumental in recommending the inclusion of “Support Our Environment “ as Rotary International’s seventh area of focus.
Tashi Jamtsho is the Country Director of WWF Bhutan. As Bhutan’s oldest conservation partner, WWF Bhutan works on various environmental conservation programs including research and study, education and awareness, promotion of sustainable livelihoods, protection of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, addressing human-wildlife conflict and climate change.
Prior to this, he served in various capacities with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Government of Bhutan especially in the areas of climate change, multilateral engagements and partnership management.
As the Country Director of WWF Bhutan, Tashi is driven by inclusive conservation with focus on landscape approach and youth engagement. He was instrumental in establishing the Bhutan for Life Initiative – the first project finance for permanence programme in Asia.
Dr Christopher (Chris) Puttock is a botanist with four decades experience in environmental conservation and habitat restoration. He is particularly concerned with the maintenance of ecosystems to function naturally, sustainably, and in preventing demise of ecological services by human exploitation, reaching past the tipping point where nature is not permanently damaged.
Chris has been a Rotarian since 2004, Paul Harris Fellow, President of the Rotary Club of College Park-Maryland (2016-2017), District 7620 Environmental Committee Chair (2010-2014, 2020+), and member of the District Global Grants Committee and District International Service Committee (DISC). He has attended every Rotary International Convention since 2010 (Montreal). He was a founding Director of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) and now, by 4 days, its immediate Past Chair. He is also a member of the Rotary International Cadre of Technical Advisors for the Environment.
Since moving to Maryland from Hawai‘i in 2008 Chris has been a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institute, National Museum of Natural History, and Executive Director and CEO of Chesapeake Natives, Inc., the only local ecotype nursery producing hundreds of species of plants to sustain the native flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and he is the current President of the Maryland Native Plant Society. He has supervised more than 40 environmental grants, including Rotary Global Grants with environmental components.
Chris is a regular speaker at Rotary Clubs and Districts, botanical and native plant societies, master gardeners, master naturalists and garden clubs. He can speak on anything to do with the environment, biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, sustainable food production, environmental resilience and equity, global warming, Rotary’s seven areas of focus, and now in implementing Rotary projects for the “Environment”.
PROFESSOR GABRIELE VILLARINI of University of Iowa, USA is a renowned and award-winning international expert on Flood Hydrology, Extreme Events.
He is the Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Iowa, and the Director of IIHR- Hydroscience & Engineering. He is also the Robert & Virginia Wheeler Faculty Fellow in Engineering and the Editor-in-Chief for Advances in Water Resources. His research group broadly focuses on flood hydrology, extreme events, hydroclimatology, and climate predictions and projections. He is a member of the Iowa Flood Center, which is the only university-based center devoted solely to flood-related research and education.
University of Iowa is where Rotary International founder Paul Harris graduated with a law degree in 1891.
SARAH KARIKO arachnologist, artist and explorer aims to inspire wonder about the mysteries of the natural world and support care for the web of life. She studies the biodiversity of spiders through her research as Associate in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology and explores the interconnectedness among species as Research Director of Gossamer Labs LLC.
Dr Karikó has conducted fieldwork in places ranging from the rainforests of Madagascar to the Rocky Mountains in the American West and designed exhibits highlighting spiders in places like Grand Teton National Park, USA. She serves on the board of The Global Institute for the Arts & Leadership and is a commission member of the Spider & Scorpion Specialist Group for the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
DR RASHED MUSTAFA SARWAR is UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam. He has about 25 years of diverse work in Central Asia and Caucasus, Europe and Southeast Asia, with UNICEF and other UN agencies in politically transitional and developing countries, in countries transitioning rapidly to middle and upper-income status as well as in extreme humanitarian and post-conflict situations.
Dr Sarwar has served as the UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Belarus in 2015-2020 and UNICEF Deputy Representative in Azerbaijan in 2009-2015. In both countries, he has been providing overall leadership and managerial guidance on UNICEF programming, policy direction, monitoring of compliance and performance standards as well as coordination with international, governmental and civil society organizations. In Belarus, he has successfully launched and tested new fundraising model, with increased mobilization of private and corporate donations and greater involvement of Belarusian citizens, companies and civil society for children in the country and abroad.
He has valuable expertise for Former Soviet Union countries (over 20 years), fluent in Russian, well familiar with the geopolitical context and social fabric of the region. Dr Sarwar is a national of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Has advanced medical educational background, PhD in Medicine.
SHAH REDZA HUSSEIN is an Economist by training and a conservationist by passion. He has been involved in nature conservation and environmental protection for over 23 years. In 1997 Shah left the corporate sector to join WWF Malaysia in order to learn and contribute directly to nature conservation. He was
the Executive Director of the Malaysian Nature (MNS), the oldest and largest member based nature NGO in the country and had over time served on various national and regional technical committee on nature and environmental protection.
Prior to joining the Perak State Parks he was the Special Project Director in Malaysia with Earth And Sea Observation System (EASOS) a UK Space Agency project partner in utilizing satellite and technology in monitoring, protecting and disaster forecasting
of our natural environment.
Shah Redza is currently the Director of the Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC). He was recently awarded the 2020 global winner of the Dr. Rimington Award for Tiger Conservation by the WWF Tiger Alive initiative committee.
FAIRUL IZMAL JAMAL HISNE is a marine biologist and an environmental consultant based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and has been actively involved in environmental management since 2008. Fairul obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Sciences from the University of Waikato, New Zealand.
He is currently the Environmental Lead for the Asia Pacific region for Genesis, a consultancy firm having its headquarters in London, UK. Among his responsibilities include providing advisory services on topics relating to Environment, Sustainability, and Governance (ESG) and energy transition. His experience covers projects in multiple regions including Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa and North America.
Fairul is also the Co-Founder and Vice-Chairperson of The MareCet Research Organization, a Malaysia-based marine mammal conservation organization. He is also a key member of the Southeast Asian marine mammalogist community and is currently serving as a Co-Coordinator for Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) for the Southeast Asian Seas and North Indian Ocean Region under the Joint IUCN-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Taskforce.
DR SURIA SELASIH ANGIT is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Academic Partnership and Engagement, University of Nottingham Malaysia. She completed her PhD in Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia, sponsored by the Ministry of Rural Development Malaysia. Her academic interests include indigenous research methodologies, education for Indigenous communities, language and symbolic power, multicultural education and English language teaching. She is actively involved in a World Bank Project that aims to improve teaching and learning in the Bangladesh college sector. As a member of the indigenous Temiar community, Suria is passionate about making education more inclusive and culturally responsive for indigenous students, particularly those from Orang Asli backgrounds. She hopes that her Orang Asli Student Icon Award will help her to be an inspiration to Orang Asli students to unleash their potential and shine in all arenas, without feeling the need to compromise their indigenous identities.
POH CHIN HUI is a Manager with the Governance and Sustainability team of Risk Consulting practice in KPMG Management and Risk Consulting Sdn. Bhd. Chin Hui has 10 years of professional experience in the area of sustainability, ESG as well as climate change. Prior to joining KPMG, Chin Hui was with PETRONAS’ Group Health, Safety, Security and Environment Division where she was responsible for the climate change- related strategy and planning, GHG data management as well as tracking of GHG reduction programmes of all PETRONAS downstream assets.
VISHNUVARTHAN MUNIANDI has 10 years of experience in climate change management and sustainability matters. Vishnu joined the PETRONAS’ climate change team in 2015 where he was involved in enhancing PETRONAS’ climate change governance and establishing group-wide targets namely Net Zero Carbon Emissions (NZCE) 2050. Vishnu has also gained extensive experience in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reporting, monitoring & verification, GHG emissions mitigation and climate change adaptation during his 6 years with PETRONAS. Prior to joining PETRONAS, Vishnu was the Corporate Social Responsibility Lead in Bumi Armada Berhad, managing sustainability matters and has successfully listed Bumi Armada in DJSI and FTSE4Good sustainability indices.
IR DR KRIBAN G NAIDU started his career in Engineering Consultancy with Taylor Woodrow in England and then spent several years in Botswana, before returning to Malaysia in 1993 to head Taywood Engineering, a subsidiary of Taylor Woodrow Group, covering Singapore and Malaysia. In 2001 he took over the Taywood Engineering operations in a Management Buy Out and rebranded the company as JTK Consult providing specialist design and technology services to the construction sector and assuming the role of Managing Director. During his time in Botswana, he was involved in the development of the first building in Southern Africa encompassing passive solar design principles and the setting up of a nationwide rain water harvesting scheme in schools and rural communities to supplement scarce water resources.
He is passionate about sustainability, the protection of the environment and the rights of communities and is devoting his time to these endeavours. He has been the President of the Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK) since 2018 and has been very much involved in the dispute to save Taman Rimba Kiara in TTDI against unbridled development. He is also the founding member of District Action Group for Environment and Sustainability (DAGES). He assumed the presidency of the Rotary Club of Damansara in 2020-2021 and is Chairperson of the Rotary District Action Group for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (DASH) spearheading the linkages between the Rotary Movement and the Spina Bifida Community in Malaysia.
AZRINA ABDULLAH who is currently the Managing Director for SDG Synergy, is a social performance specialist with over 26 years of global experience in sustainable development. She has advised and coached C-Suite members on ESG, and conducted sustainability-related audits, risk assessments and training across different industry sectors including energy, health, construction, mining and forestry. She has also undertaken ESG materiality assessments for Public Listed Companies to meet mandatory reporting requirements, and led the establishment of PETRONAS’ Human Rights Commitment and its related standards, including the Contractors Code of Conduct on Human Rights. Azrina is an alumni of the University of Cambridge Business and Sustainability Leadership Programme, a certified Social Accountability (SA) 8000 auditor (Advanced), Lead Auditor for ISO 37001 (Anti-Bribery Management Systems) and the first Malaysian appointed as a Visiting Scholar by the US Department of Justice under the Obama administration, based in Washington D.C. She is the President and Founder of the Malaysian Society of Social Performance, which promotes social performance through education and training.
ADI AFENDI is an award-winning Master of Ceremonies, or Emcee, for short. He is also a soft skills trainer, especially his signature training in Persuasive and Convincing Presentation Skills. The highlights of his career include being the Master of Ceremonies for the 29th SEA Games Kuala Lumpur 2017, the 18th Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang 2018, and United Nations Malaysia, to name a few. He is also an actor who has appeared in several movies and TV shows, prominently being the current face of the marketing campaign for Unifi. He was also a TV talk show host and he read the English business news for Unifi TV. Big on charity, Adi is currently the goodwill ambassador for Ocean Hero Maritime Conservation campaign, and he was the goodwill ambassador for I Vogue For Green Rainforest Preservation program as well as one of the goodwill ambassadors for JCI United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically on education for all. He also volunteers at the Malaysian Association for the Blind in Brickfields.
THIRUPATHI RAO has a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and 20 years of experience in the field of Climate & Energy covering GHG Monitoring Reporting and Verification, Energy Efficiency and Management, Flaring & Venting Reduction in Upstream O&G, Renewable Energy, Biomass, Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage , Electrical Engineering, Carbon Trading & Offsets, Green Buildings, and Sustainable Development in general. He has sound experience in developing climate change and sustainable development strategies & policies for large organizations as well Malaysian government.
Currently he is working for PETRONAS as Head of Climate Change. He has been instrumental in the development and the implementation of Climate Actions such as PETRONAS Position & Framework on Climate Change and PETRONAS Carbon Commitment which includes introduction of internal carbon price & disclosure of GHG target. Currently he is pursuing part time PhD on the topic of carbon pricing in UNITEN, Malaysia. He likes to engage in thought leadership discussion to promote climate actions.