National Climate Governance Summit 2025 (NCGS2025)
National Climate Governance Summit 2025 (#NCGS2025) the 3rd Edition of the NCGS, a hybrid event had gathered more than 5000 attendees both in person and virtual at the Sasana Kijang from 7-11 April 2025.
The MC Shazana M. Producer BFM Business as Master of Ceremonies had highlighted that this year's conference spotlights the importance of transition finance in driving climate and sustainability across the region.
Dr Gary Theseira Chair of the Council of Climate Governance Malaysia ( CGM) in his Welcome Remarks (Fig1) had shared that it was only in 2023 that Datin Sunita Rajakumar CEO and Founder CGM (Fig2) and the CGM Council was discussing the possibility of holding a half-day session with a handful.of stakeholders to accelerate Corporate Governance in Malaysia. Instead the NCGS as it became known, very quickly grew into a 3 day event featuring 80 speakers and 17 workshops.
Fig1: Dr Gary Theseira Chair of the Council of Climate Governance Malaysia ( CGM)
Fig 2: Datin Sunita Rajakumar CEO and Founder CGM
Dr Gary also underscored that that year (2023) became the hottest year on record at that time with average global temperature of 1.48 degrees C above pre industrial levels and remarked that "When we wondered would we cross the all important 1.5 degrees C threshold."
NCGS2024 had featured 90 speakers and 14 workshops but added 6 Masterclasses into the program and Dr Gary dovetailed that " Our question was answered" as in 2024 the average global temperature reached 1.6 degrees C above the pre industrial levels, the first calender year that this has occurred in recorded history.
Fireside Chat with Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment
At the NCGS2025 Chairman of Climate Governance Malaysia Dr Gary Theseira had invited YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad Minister NRE to share activities of the past year, coming activities, key milestones & output ( Fig3 )
Fig3:Fireside Chat with Minister NRE YB Nik Nazmi Nik moderated by Dr Gary Theseira
Malaysia’s Climate Policy
YB Minister informed that Malaysia's Climate Policy, first launched in 2009, before the Paris Agreement was updated in 2024 taking into account the Paris Agreement.
NDC Roadmap & Action Plan and LT-LEDS
In February 2025 the Cabinet has endorsed 1) Nationally Determined Contribution Roadmap &Action Plan & 2) Long term Low Emission Development Strategy to be launched in April 2025, these being the pathways for Malaysia to achieve our net zero emissions goal.
Climate Change Bill
YB Nik Nazmi had shared that Malaysia is in the midst of passing the nation's Climate Change Bill, the Ministry is undergoing the engagement process citing his visits & discussions with Menteri Besar of Perak, Pahang & Chief Ministers of Sabah & Sarawak to get their input, concerns & buy in with regards to the Climate Change Bill which is planned to be tabled to the Parliament by this year 2025 after learning from many countries such as the UK the first to come out with a Climate Change Act., how to put it within the Malaysian context.
Minister Nik Nazmi spotlighted that Because before this when we talk about net-zero there was only just policy, there was no legislation to underpin it, so with this legislation, it provides a stronger framework for us to work towards our goal to achieve net-zero
Malaysia’s Adaptation Plan
Additionally, in the same period, Minister Nik Nazmi shared that Malaysia's Adaptation Plan is expected to be completed in 2026 and he opined that this is critical because while climate change bill will cover both mitigation and adaptation, a lot of it will focus on mitigation. At the end of the day, mitigation as a country for Malaysia our contribution to carbon footprint globally is relatively small, per capita we are not that great, the Minister remarked that we have to be honest about that but as a country with a population of 30 million, high middle income country, we are still not a major contributor in that sense, but highlighted that adaptation recognizes that climate change is real, looking at the weather pattern the past few years, not just the floods but look at the heat wave.
Minister Nik Nazmi drew attention to the fact that heatwave had caused deaths from heatstroke with 3-4 documented deaths recorded in Malaysia in 2023 -2024. YB stressed that this is something we have to deal with, and so adaptation on how we can adapt to the realities of climate change is critical and that his Ministry is working on that and he hopes the Adaptation Plan can be completed by 2026.
Carbon Tax
Minister Nik Nazmi shared that The Prime Minister has announced the carbon tax to be introduced by 2026 and that the NRE is working closely with the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to ensure both the carbon tax and the domestic trading system are designed to function properly.
The Minister emphasized that it was fundamental to ensure it works from the beginning and that Malaysia has a robust carbon pricing.
Nationally Determined Contribution
Minister Nik Nazmi shared that the NRE is preparing for the nation’s 3rd NDC submission and plan to submit this ahead of COP30 in Brazil, which reflects Malaysia’s enhanced ambition as well as looking at the Global Stocktake process
Aspiration for ASEAN
Minister Nik Nazmi had underscored that the IPCC had shown that South East Asia is one of the regions most susceptible to climate change and had shared his hopes and aspiration for ASEAN to have a stronger voice together and to harness the groups potential to address climate change
YB had also informed that Malaysia has just joined the Climate Club a group with ambitious goals to reach-net zero
Q&A on Nuclear Power
During Q&A Ms Sheriffah had remarked ( Fig4 and Fig5) that it is indeed encouraging to hear that Malaysia is preparing for an enhanced NDC &remarked that previously the spotlight was on increasing RE as our transition plan. I highlighted that YAB Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah had informed that the Government was conducting a Pre-Feasibility Study on Nuclear Power for Malaysia (Fig6) and that International Energy Agency (IEA) Chief Fatih Birol had underscored that in order to reach net-zero both RE & nuclear power are important clean energy sources to be harnessed & enquired whether Malaysia will include nuclear power in its enhanced NDC or announce it at COP30, sharing that Indonesia had announced Going Nuclear at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Additionally the Philippines had shared its Nuclear Power Roadmap at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference.
Fig4: Ms Sheriffah Noor Khamseah Al-Idid had attended the National Climate Governance Summit 2025
Fig5: Ms Sheriffah raise question on Malaysia’s NDC and Nuclear Power and offered a Proposal to the Government on Enhancing Women’s Participation in Climate Change and Energy Transition
Fig6: YAB Datuk Seri Fadillah announcing Pre-F Study on Nuclear Power
source: The Edge (https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/732987)
Proposal on Women in Climate Change and Energy Transition
Secondly I had shared that during International Women's Day 2025 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had asked Cabinet Ministers& Chief Secretary to the Government to offer more support to women (Fig7 and Fig8)& I had highlighted that during COP28 in Dubai, UAE, out of the 10 ASEAN member countries , only Vietnam had signed the COP28 Gender-Responsive Just Transitions and Climate Action Partnership which aims to drive gender-responsive just transitions, which strengthen all women’s and girls’ leadership and meaningful participation, decision making, capacities, and livelihoods in climate action to achieve gender equality and support the sustainable and transformational impacts of our adaptation, mitigation, and finance efforts.
Fig7: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launching the International Women’s Day 2025 at WTCKL
Fig8: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim directing Cabinet Ministers and Chief Secretary to help and support more women
Thus I had appealed to the Minister for Malaysia to please sign the COP28 Gender-Responsive Just Transitions and Climate Action Partnership to enable more women to contribute to& support initiatives to reach-net zero.
Additionally I had shared with the Minister that as Malaysia is Chairman of ASEAN in 2025, Malaysia should also engage and encourage the remaining 8 ASEAN MCs to also do so for the benefit of women & ASEAN's Climate Change and Energy Transition.
Response from YB Minister on Nuclear Power
Minister Nik Nazmi responded with a wide smile saying "I don't know which is a more difficult question; nuclear or the women part" & this elicited laughter from the audience. ( Fig9)
Fig 9: Minister Nik Nazmi responded with a wide smile
It was encouraging to hear YB Nik Nazmi responding that on nuclear, we are doing a study. If we are looking to decarbonize, Nuclear has a role to play.
YB shared that the Government has started to accelerate solar &for large hydro in Peninsular Malaysia honestly there is not much space left unless you are willing to trade off our pristine forest for dams &reservoirs.
With the current technology, we are not able to generate electricity from wind yet. Thus this does not leave us with much choice.
YB Nik Nazmi had highlighted France's success in generating electricity with nuclear power. The Minister had shared that although there are successes & benefits of nuclear power, however there are also concerns that although nuclear in terms of emission is zero but in terms of radiation, managing waste, its costs are the things that we have to deal with.
Thus the nuclear study that is being undertaken by the Government is looking at these angles & obviously it takes a bit of time but the Minister opined that he believes Malaysia will eventually have to finally make a decision because we have a 20-year Power Generation Plan so those matters the Government is taking into account the possibility of nuclear as the nation plans for its power generation but iterated that it has to be firmer because if we are serious about nuclear then there needs to be work in terms of International treaties, building the place (plant),dealing with the politics of it & all that, those are challenges.
The Minister emphasized that the Government will have to work on these matters & that it is not uncontroversial, remarking that alot of people will say there are other various ways to generate electricity.
The Minister shared that honestly there are even a few environmental activists when they enter Government and they look at the net-zero target, they suddenly become more open to nuclear.
YB Nik Nazmi opined that the study undertaken by the Government has to be done properly before the Government can decide on what is best for Malaysia.
Response from YB Minister on Enhancing Women’s Participation and Contribution to Climate Change and Energy Transition
YB Nik Nazmi remarked that in terms of my proposal on women the Minister will have a look at the text as a whole because sometimes these are the things that fall into cracks because on one hand its Climate and on the other hand it is gender that is under Minister of Women YB Nancy Shukri.
YB Nik Nazmi assured that he will have a look at these matters and see whether there is a problem with the text as we have not signed yet and shared that if there is no problem the Minister and relevant Ministries should be able to push it forward ( for Malaysia to sign ) and also to get other ASEAN Member countries on board.
My appreciation to Minister Nik Nazmi
I am indeed thankful to Minister YB Nik Nazmi for his support of Nuclear Power once if study shows it will benefit Malaysia and also for the Minister's very kind assurance to view the text of the Declaration and if found all is ok will arrange for Malaysia to sign it and serving as Chair of ASEAN in 2025 will thereafter encourage ASEAN Member countries to also sign to enhance women's participation and contribution to Climate Change and Energy Transition.
Sheriffah Dato Syed (sheriffahkhamseah@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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