17.2 – Relationships to support the goals

17.2.4 – Collaboration for SDG best practice

UKM contributes to global climate assessments and policy-making through international collaboration and research, review comparative approaches and develop international best practice on tackling the SDG.

1. INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (IPCC)

UKM has made an international collaboration on developing international best practice on tackling SDG with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.

In 2023, Prof. Dr. Joy Jacqueline Pereira served as the Co-Chair of Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), marking a historic milestone as the first female Asian to hold this position. With over a decade of dedicated involvement in the IPCC, she has contributed to numerous working groups and reports, including as Vice-Chair of Working Group II for the Sixth Assessment Report on impacts, adaptation, and vulnerabilities. Her leadership in Working Group III brings a comprehensive focus on mitigation and adaptation strategies, significantly influencing global climate assessments and policy. Her prior roles as Coordinating Lead Author and Lead Author further highlight her commitment to advancing climate change discourse on the international stage.

Dr. Pereira, a Professor and Principal Research Fellow at SEADPRI-UKM (Southeast Asia Disaster Prevention Research Initiative, UKM), focuses on disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and sustainable mineral resource management. She led the development of Malaysia’s National Policy on Climate Change and National Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan.
Source: https://www.ipcc.ch/people/joy-jacqueline-pereira/

2. INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS NETWORK (ISCN)

In November 2023, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) became a member of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), joining 14 other Asian universities in this global initiative. Notably, UKM is the sole Malaysian institution in the ISCN, underscoring its dedication to sustainability on an international scale. 

Established in 2007 as a non-profit association, the ISCN serves as a platform for higher education institutions to exchange information, ideas, and best practices aimed at achieving sustainable campus operations and integrating sustainability into research and teaching. The ISCN Charter, updated in 2018, aligns with global milestones such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Accord, providing a framework to mobilize international, cross-sector action for a more sustainable future. 

By joining the ISCN, UKM has committed to active participation in international discussions and policy development related to sustainability. This involvement enables UKM to collaborate with global partners, share its sustainability initiatives and adopt innovative practices from other institutions. Such engagement not only enhances UKM’s sustainability efforts but also contributes to the broader global movement towards sustainable development.

3. RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC)

UKM has made a research collaboration with Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on APEC Climate Economics Cross-Border Educational Course (CECC). This project is led by Associate Professor Dr Nurfaradilla Mohamad Nasri from the Faculty of Education, UKM. The objective of this project is to improve the capacity for APEC economies to implement inclusive, sustainable and quality climate economics cross-border education, in order to strengthen education cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region under the principles established by the APEC Education Action Plan/ Education Strategy 2016-2030, to support regional cooperation on addressing climate change under the principles of the Aotearoa Plan of Action 2021, and to improve socioeconomic resilience under the Putrajaya Vision 2040.

4. HEALTHCOMM UKM

HEALTHCOMM UKM x UNICEF C4D CENTRE is an initiative that is proudly presented by Faculty of Social Science & Humanities, UKM and The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as a collaborative effort to advocate and empower our health ecosystem while supporting communities through applying awareness and inclusiveness in our pursuit. UKM committed to establishing HEALTHCOMM as a leader in health communication research, with a particular focus on policy and behavioral change. Our top priority is to develop an effective framework to advocate for and address health issues affecting women and children. By working closely with stakeholders and policymakers, we aim to produce high-quality research that benefits our communities.

5. MIMA BULLETIN: NAVIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE BY TS. DR. NOORASHIKIN MD NOOR

Ts. Dr. Noorashikin Md Noor from Earth Observation Center, Institute of Climate Change, UKM, is one of the publishers of Navigating Climate Change in MIMA Bulletin (MIMA Bulletin Vol 32 2023)  to review comparative approaches and develop international best practice on tackling the SDGs. The MIMA Bulletin is a publication by the Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA) that covers a wide array of maritime and ocean-related topics, relevant policies, and regional maritime developments. It typically provides insights into maritime security, environmental conservation, economic implications, and governance frameworks impacting Malaysia and the surrounding region. The book discusses the critical role of oceans in sustaining life on Earth, highlighting their contributions to biodiversity, climate regulation, and human welfare. However, climate change poses a major threat to marine ecosystems through ocean warming, acidification, and sea-level rise, which are consequences of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite global efforts to mitigate climate change, current measures are insufficient to prevent temperature increases, necessitating more ambitious interventions.