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In June of 2025, the IFRS Foundation formally recognised Malaysia as the only ASEAN jurisdiction adopting ISSB Standards with limited transition — a major milestone, made possible through the development, adoption and implementation of the National Sustainability Reporting Framework (NSRF). This global acknowledgment highlighted Malaysia’s alignment with ISSB’s IFRS S1 & S2 standards, the adoption of climate-first reporting with phased Scope 3 disclosures, and finally, suppor

But Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand weren’t the only storm-ravaged countries in Asia. While Senyar romped in our backyard, Tropical storm Ditwah, to the west, ravaged Sri Lanka, and Tropical cyclone Koto, to the north-east, devastated central Vietnam. Interestingly, during this period of about a week, these were the only tropical cyclones in the world, as shown in the screen capture below from windy.com The three storms were even observed to interact, bringing back-to-back p

Figure 5. The pH, temperature, tidal height and salinity of seawater measured in situ at ∼ 1 m below low water at Chowder Bay, Sydney over a multi-day period. Grey and white boxes indicate the time between sunset and sunrise. Red dots indicate values of reference samples collected adjacent to the device and measured using spectrophotometry But like many phenomena, there is more to ocean acidification than meets the eye, and analogous to the relationship between the atmosphere

This is an important point because it reflects a sea change in our understanding of what causes droughts. As the image (left) explains, between 1949 and 1999, droughts in the Western United States were caused mostly by a lack of rain (or snow), and only very rarely, in the states of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming, by high temperatures. Since 2000, on the other hand, we see that apart from a coastal belt running from Western Washington State in the Northwest, South t

However, when viewed from a sustainability and resilience standpoint, smallholders, by virtue of their diversity in size, placement in the landscape and varied ownership and management structures give them a measure of resilience not achievable by large plantation companies. In a small holding, multi-cropping practices result in multiple income streams, greater biodiversity and the flexibility of prioritizing or deprioritizing the palms in response to demand or price can resu

In part two, I presented a summary of the portion of the seminar dealing with the second question: What are the legal consequences, if any of breaching these obligations? In addition, I  contextualized the AO’s characterization of the application of l ex specialis  from the standpoint of developing countries’ negotiating positions and showed how the ICJ had, in effect, affirmed what developing countries have consistently maintained, that the principles of the Convention remai

In this second part, I present a summary of the portion of the seminar dealing with the second question: What are the legal consequences, if any of breaching these obligations? I will also contextualize the AO from the standpoint of a developing country negotiator at the many COPs and Subsidiary Body meetings in which I have served as a national delegate over the years. As mentioned in part one, this three-part series is based on the proceedings of a Seminar entitled: The ICJ

In part two, I plan to present a summary of the portion of the seminar dealing with the second question,  what are the legal consequences under these obligations? I will also contextualize the AO from the standpoint of a developing country negotiator at the many COPs and Subsidiary Body meetings in which I have served as a national delegate over the years. Finally, in part three, I will cover the part of the seminar that examined the implications for Malaysia, and potential i

In June 2025, western Europe as a whole saw its warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 20.49°C, surpassing the previous record for the month from 2003 by only 0.06°C. Two major heatwaves led to ‘very strong heat stress’ in large parts of western and southern Europe, with ‘extreme heat stress’ and feels-like temperatures reaching 48°C in parts of Portugal. Spain experienced its warmest June in 64 years while England reported the highest temperatures for June si

The Sector Volatility Factor: From Glaciers to Lightning Strikes Industries face radically different risk horizons. In stable sectors like utilities or infrastructure, climate-related risks (e.g., sea-level rise) unfold over decades. Here, annual materiality assessments will suffice—provided they incorporate long-term IPCC scenarios and regulatory forecasts. For example, Malaysia’s Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), according to their 2024 sustainability report, conduct a comprehe

A strong rationale to implement a no-regrets initiative could be feedstock transition due to natural depletion of current reserves, or uncertain supply due to geopolitical risk . The adoption and promotion of Green Hydrogen by the Chemicals and Iron and Steel industries due to finite natural gas reserves  as well as carbon pricing (making gray hydrogen unsustainable financially) is a good first example. In this area, we see companies like Thyssenkrupp piloting green hydrogen

While the loss of two highly capable ministers from the cabinet would be a blow for any country, developed or developing. The resignation of the Minister of Natural Resources and Sustainability, together with the Minister of Economy comes at a very inopportune time for Malaysia – with the nation poised to embark on a number of highly transformational initiatives and programmes, including but not limited to, the Long-term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), the Natio

I. Governing Physical Climate Risk Systems The tangible manifestations of climate change in Malaysia reveal themselves through interconnected systems that sustain life, economy, and society. Each system presents unique vulnerabilities requiring tailored governance approaches: Water Resource Systems  face multidimensional threats as changing rainfall patterns disrupt historical predictability. Recent studies confirm climate impacts on "rivers, sea, lakes, dams, and groundwater

Beyond finance, operational and business risks define organizational fortitude. The Basel Committee’s definition – “risk of loss from inadequate processes, people, systems, or external events” – underpins global banking governance. Yet its relevance spans sectors: Manufacturers guard against supply chain ruptures and equipment failure, Tech firms mitigate data breaches and intellectual property theft, Energy giants plan for refinery outages or geological shocks, and,  Strateg

Table 1: Sustainability Reporting Disparities Across Malaysia Region Key Frameworks Business Coverage Supply Chain Integration Sarawak State Climate Act (Net Zero 2050) Limited (SOEs dominant) Sporadic Sabah Voluntary carbon mechanisms Fragmented (SME-focused) Emerging Peninsular Malaysia NSRF, SEDG, JC3 initiatives Comprehensive (PLCs/SMEs) High (e.g., GVC Program) Amidst this common purpose, there remain some key divergences. Sarawak’s groundbreaking Climate Change Act and

YB Yeo recognized Malaysia’s vulnerability as a target for global waste dumping – a symptom of weak regulation and enforcement. Her decisive ban on contaminated plastic waste imports  (October 2018) was not merely an environmental regulation; it was a strategic assertion of national sovereignty and a signal to the world that Malaysia would no longer be the developed world’s landfill. This move addressed a critical physical and reputational vulnerability while leveraging Malay

In the more than two decades that I served in the Malaysian government, I have been very privileged to have served under the guidance of environment ministers who not only kept the interests and priorities of the country foremost in their minds, but also understood the broader implications of global equity, the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), and the importance of developing country coalitions and consensus building. I was also extremely fortun

To begin, it helps to understand the kinds of directives that have fueled uncertainty. On the environmental front, the administration has instructed agencies to unwind regulations it says were overruled by recent Supreme Court decisions. This has led to high-profile attempts to pause or rescind methane rules, power-plant emissions limits, and a broad memo telling agencies to strip out any rule deemed invalid. In practice, courts have intervened—issuing injunctions and delayin

Globally, air travel demand is surging. Passenger numbers are rebounding strongly post-pandemic, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasting more than 4.7 billion travelers in 2025—surpassing pre-COVID levels. However, this boom in aviation comes with increased scrutiny over the sector’s carbon footprint. Under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), airlines are

Essentially, just prior to the event, on a very sunny day, solar PV was supplying almost 60% of the electricity demand, and when combined with wind, made up almost 80% of the electricity generation capacity on the grid. At this point conventional generation, (fossil fuel-based electricity, as opposed to renewables) was providing just over 20% of capacity, and this fact (as we shall see later) is seen as one of the primary causes of the event. According to the chronology of ev