Reflections of the Events of 2025

As 2025 draws to a close, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your continued engagement and support. None of what we achieved this year would have been possible without the collective energy of our community. This has been CGM’s most impactful year to date, with 21 events delivered that advanced climate governance awareness, strengthened leadership engagement, deepened peer learning, and enabled meaningful, sector-focused dialogue across Malaysia.

Each session was thoughtfully curated to deliver practical value connecting members with leading experts, sharing emerging best practices, and creating trusted spaces for open and forward-looking conversations on evolving climate responsibilities. The strong participation and consistently positive feedback we received reflect a growing recognition that effective climate governance is no longer optional, but essential. Achieving these many events in a single year is not just a milestone; it is a clear signal of the momentum building within the CGM community and the relevance of this platform for leaders navigating climate risk and opportunity.

We’ve had an incredible 2025, and here are just some of the highlights: 

What makes this progress especially compelling is how it was achieved. With a small but highly committed team of 5 Secretariat staff, supported by 10 Council Members, 5 Board Members, 23 expert advisers, and dedicated volunteers, CGM has shown the power of a mission-driven network to create real, system-level impact. By being part of CGM, members are not only joining conversations but they are contributing to a growing movement to build informed, climate-resilient leadership and to strengthen Malaysia’s climate governance ecosystem. We invite you to be part of this journey and to help shape the next chapter of meaningful climate action.

National Climate Governance Summit (NCGS) 2025 

The third edition of the National Climate Governance Summit (NCGS) 2025 took place from 7–11 April in a hybrid format, drawing nearly 3,500 participants from more than 30 countries to examine the future of climate leadership. Centred on the theme “Transition Finance: The Foundation of the Transition Economy,” the Summit convened 94 expert speakers across 34 main sessions, 13 workshops, 11 masterclasses, and eight university partnerships, creating a comprehensive platform for learning, dialogue, and knowledge exchange.

Through these engagements, NCGS 2025 strengthened national awareness of climate governance, helping participants better understand climate risks and opportunities as well as the role of transition finance in guiding corporate decision-making toward a more sustainable economy.

CGM Roundtable Series 2025 

The CGM Roundtable Series successfully convened a multi-week, multi-stakeholder platform across 20 fully online thematic sessions held from October 1 to October 28, 2025, with a final session on November 25, 2025. The Series garnered 1,588 participants and 73 speakers including experts, industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, and civil society from 12 countries to address the climate crisis as an urgent, shared challenge requiring collective leadership, focusing on themes like sustainable cities, clean energy, nature protection, resilient agriculture, and market solutions; crucially, the sessions ensured an inclusive and just transition by prominently centring the voices of communities, youth, and civil society.

Malaysian Support for the COP 30 Event

In conjunction with the Malaysian Pavilion at the COP 30 Conference in Belém, Brazil, we organised the Malaysian Support for COP 30 Event, a 10-day online programme held in parallel with the conference. The curated series featured sessions such as Conversation with the Chair with Dr. Gary Theseira and invited experts, C-Suite Highlights with CEOs, CFOs and CSOs, live updates from Belém by the Boston Consulting Group, an NGO Pavilion hosted by WWF-Malaysia, and Industry Pavilion sessions by UNDP and the World Bank. The programme attracted 457 participants and brought together 57 speakers from 10 countries. It was supported by the Former Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), YB Tuan Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, alongside speakers from WWF, BCG, the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

CGM Global Summit 2025

The session which was held online on 29 September offered an intensive deep dive into some of the most complex climate challenges, featuring insights from 11 global thought leaders and engaging over 400 participants throughout the 11-hour virtual summit. It highlighted the growing role of the private sector as both implementers and co-creators of climate policy, underscoring the importance of collaboration to advance Malaysia’s net-zero ambition and strengthen long-term resilience. 

CGM Webinar Series 2025

In 2025, CGM organised four major webinar series, each addressing key themes in climate governance and sustainability. These included the Nuclear Webinar Series 2025, the Synergising Foreign Investors and State Climate Priorities Series, Seeds of Tomorrow: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, and ICJ’s Climate Opinion – What It Means for Business.

1. CGM Nuclear Webinar Series 2025

A total of four episodes were held under the Nuclear Webinar Series. The first three were organised in collaboration with the Embassy of France and examined the development and strength of France’s nuclear energy sector. The fourth episode, conducted with Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, explored the evolution of nuclear power in Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region. Across all four sessions, the series attracted 340 participants.

2. Synergising Foreign Investors and State Climate Priorities Series

This series comprised three online sessions held in October and November. The discussions centred on the misalignment between international investment agreements (IIAs), ISDS mechanisms, and global climate goals, offering insights on how to bridge these gaps. The series drew a total of 112 attendees.

3. Seeds of Tomorrow: Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Held on 6 February 2025, this webinar highlighted the role of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in safeguarding global biodiversity, with particular emphasis on the protection of Southeast Asia’s rainforest ecosystems. The session attracted 66 participants.

4. ICJ’s Climate Opinion – What It Means for Business

Organised on 11 August in collaboration with Kiu & Co., this webinar explored the International Court of Justice’s landmark climate opinion and its implications for businesses and global climate governance. The session drew 55 participants.

CGM Conversation Series and the Directors’ Masterclass Series 2025 

This year marked the very first time CGM organised the Conversation Series 2025. Introduced as a new two-part programme, this was a set of 2 sessions focused on equipping decision-makers and corporate leaders with knowledge on emerging climate and sustainability standards, primarily concerning disclosure and finance.These sessions were held physically in May and attracted a crowd of 116 participants. 

4 Directors’ Masterclass Series 2025 sessions were held this year. 2 were held online and 2 were held physically. The purpose of these sessions are to equip leaders with essential skills when it comes to address climate related issues and navigate the difficulties faced in climate governance. These sessions were held in February, June, July and October. A total of 176 attendees attended the Directors’ Masterclass Series 2025.

Interchamber Climate Champions Collective 2025

This year marked the first time we hosted two networking sessions under the Interchamber Climate Champions Collective, held at the Carlsberg Group Malaysia Headquarters in partnership with the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (BMCC). We are also grateful to our Corporate Friends, whose support played an important role in making these events possible.

The sessions brought together chamber representatives, corporate leaders, and sustainability practitioners to strengthen networks, deepen understanding of urgent climate challenges particularly within the corporate sector and foster greater collaboration and knowledge sharing across the community. Held in July and November, the two sessions drew a total of 79 attendees.

Thank you once again for being part of the CGM community. To stay updated on our activities, we invite you to follow us on X and LinkedIn, explore our website, and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news and insights from CGM.