Climate Change

What is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to a long-term shift in global weather patterns and average temperatures primarily caused by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and land-use change.

The build-up of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, in the atmosphere, traps heat and leads to an overall warming of the planet. This warming can have a wide range of impacts, including more frequent and intense extreme weather events, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and ice caps, and altered ecosystems and agricultural productivity.

The consequences of climate change can be far-reaching and include both environmental and social impacts, such as increased water scarcity, food and energy insecurity, displacement of people, and heightened risks to health and safety. Addressing climate change requires collective action on a global scale, with efforts focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to cleaner energy sources, and adapting to the changes that are already underway. 

What is Sunway Doing?

Leadership

Image

Establishment of Sunway Centre for Planetary Health 

The centre aims to ensure human health, climate change and the economy work together to address the greatest planetary concerns. Read more about the centre's commitment to planetary health.

Research

• The Nexus of Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Socioeconomic Development in Southeast Asia – Sunway Institute for Global Strategy and Competitiveness (IGSC) in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) utilised the 8i Nature-Centric Ecosystem Framework as the main foundation to analyse the current strengths and gaps in the ASEAN biodiversity landscape and to formulate strategic measures and recommendations for adoption by policymakers from ASEAN.
• Macroeconomic Development and Impact on the Energy Sector - Sunway Institute for Global Strategy and Competitiveness (IGSC) reviewed the economic development in Malaysia and developed forecasting methods to gauge the outlook of the economy. These analyses examined the overall competitiveness and development of various sectors and states in Malaysia, informing the future energy infrastructure development plans of a major energy provider in Malaysia.
• Early Disaster and Weathering System – Researchers from the School of Engineering and Technology collaborated with the Research Centre for Human-Machine Collaboration (HUMAC) in the building of an ‘Early Disaster and Weather Monitoring System’. This system is aimed to provide weather and climate monitoring as well as alerts for different possible disasters such as fire, smoke, landslide, flash floods.

Education

• ASEAN Future Leaders SDG Workshop - Sunway University has offered this virtual flagship programme in the context of SDGs which convenes undergraduate students from eight ASEAN nations. This virtual programme comprises teaching sessions on SDGs in general, particularly Climate Change, along with a self-directed project schedule for students to develop a statement of aspirations that may be delivered at the Conference.  
• Sustainability in Student Experiences - The School of Business has embedded SDG elements in their units, for instance, MGT3044: Business Ethics and Social Responsibility. Students have worked on case studies toward addressing the sustainability issues faced by the community and nations, including slums and responsibilities of firms and sweatshop working conditions, living wages, impact on the environment, crimes, drugs, and prostitution. This allows students to better understand the current sustainability issues around them and critically formulate appropriate strategies in tackling such issues.

External Engagement

• Road to Glasgow Kunming: Combating Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss in Malaysia: In response to the two largest environmental negotiation forums, UN climate Change Conference (COP26) and UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15), the European Union Delegation to Malaysia and WWF Malaysia hosted this virtual conference to inform the public about the preparations for these events. One of the presentations, ASEAN Green Future-Low Carbon Economy was delivered by Professor Woo Wing Thye, Director of Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development. Actions to Combat Climate Biodiversity Conservation Change and Several engagement sessions, webinar, workshop, and lectures are conducted to improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation. Community Service Project with Non-Governmental Organisations - Fundraising initiatives have been carried out by undergraduate students in School of Hospitality and Management to NGOs including Rumah K.I.D.S, Seso, Tzi-Chu Foundation Malaysia, Free Tree Society, and others. 
• Actions to Combat Climate Biodiversity Conservation Change and Its Impact - Several engagement sessions, webinar, workshop, and lectures are conducted to improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation. Majority of these sessions can be found on Campus With A Conscience LIVE, a platform to exchange the knowledge of these experts to the public.
• Community Service Project with Non-Governmental Organisations - Fundraising initiatives have been carried out by undergraduate students in School of Hospitality and Management to NGOs including Rumah K.I.D.S, Seso, Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia, Free Tree Society, and others.
• Collaboration with Free Tree Society - The Sunway Student Environment Department Volunteer (SSV) has been actively taking care of SDG 12 and 13 (Life on Land and Life below Water) through tree planting projects and assisting Friends of Sungai Klang in their GreduATION Programme to cleanse the Klang River naturally. 

Related Policies

Environmental Sustainability

Activities/Student-led Initiatives

• Sunway Environmental Society
• Fashion Farm 2022

Related Stories