Even now , Malaysia is experiencing erratic weather patterns . Although the heatwave has passed , the country is still experiencing hotter weather than usual , even at night sometimes . Also , thunderstorms had gotten worse , with torrential rains causing floods .

Although citizens are no strangers to the tropical climate of the nation , thunderstorms and the heat have no doubt gotten worse over the years , and it seems that this trend will continue .

As it stands , the effects of climate change are on the lips of countless organisations , governing scientific bodies and activists from across the world , with many of them concluding with the same message : if action is not taken now , there will not be a future for any of us .

To make matters worse , scientists have recently warned that the planet will likely breach the 1.5-degree threshold by 2027 , resulting in the Earth experiencing record temperatures in the coming years .

With this grim prospect looming over the horizon , this generation ’ s greatest challenge will be the race to net zero . Failure will spell doom to the planet and its inhabitants .

Supporting this race of decarbonisation was the recently held and aptly named “ Accelerate to Net Zero ,” or AtoZero ASEAN 2023 Summit that was held in conjunction with the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia ( IGEM ) 2023 .

Whilst IGEM 2023 focuses on green technologies and eco solutions for businesses aiming to tap into the everexpanding ASEAN market , AtoZero aims to bring together key decision-makers , policymakers , industry experts and even academia to partake in thought-provoking discussions and explore business opportunities and pathways in the ongoing effort of accelerating to net zero .

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad , Minister of Natural Resources , Environment and Climate Change

Jun Yee Chew

Paul Lee

Sushil Purohit , Chief Executive Officer , Gentari

Shamsul Bahar Mohd Nor , Group Chief Executive Officer , Malaysian Green Technology & Climate Change Corporation

A PLATFORM FOR DECARBONISATION

As countries worldwide are hastening their net zero plans of transitioning to new and clean energy generation and consumption forms , a platform is needed to spearhead the net zero agenda in the Southeast Asian region .

AtoZero ASEAN urgently urges governments and industry leaders to urgently accelerate their energy transition plans . In addition , Malaysia and the other ASEAN member states have made net zero commitments within the 2050 timeline .

“ Malaysia leads the energy transition in the region ,” expressed Constellar Exhibitions

Chief Executive Markets Paul Lee during the AtoZero Summit .

“ The World Economic Forum Energy Transition Index , which benchmarks 120 countries on their current energy system performance and readiness of their enabling environment , recently ranked Malaysia number one in Southeast Asia .”

“ Enablement begins with commitment at the governmental level . To this end , Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also announced Malaysia ’ s National Energy Transition Roadmap ( NETR ) phases one and two , setting a clear path time and focus strategies towards net zero 2050 .”

The comprehensive strategies within the NETR include renewable energy , low carbon , hydrogen , bioenergy and carbon

capture , utilisation and storage .

Therefore , with this backdrop , AtoZero ASEAN served as the perfect summit for ASEAN states in the Southeast Asian region for industry experts and policymakers to spark meaningful dialogues , share industry insights , showcase innovations and accelerate partnerships .

To further emphasise their commitment to net zero and sustainable practices , Lee had expressed that AtoZero organisers had foregone tablecloths , eliminating single-use hanging banners , the removal of carpets as well as the usage of reusable and recyclable materials during the entirety of the summit .

“ Our journey has just begun .”

CAPITALISING ON RENEWABLE SOURCES

Implementing a green economy would not bear fruit if renewable sources of energy generation are not capitalised on .

As carbon is generated from the burning of fossil fuels for power generation , it is imperative that governments and industries capitalise on the various renewable energy sources that the Southeast Asian region has to offer and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels , or at the very least , reduce the usage of traditional power generation .

Rystad Energy Vice President , Head Renewables and Power Markets Asia , Jun Yee Chew , stated that although the pursuit and research towards renewable energy sources has been initially slow , especially during its inception , progress has , nonetheless , been made in this endeavour .

“ China is a leader in renewables globally ,” stated Jun .

“ This year , they have reached 500 gigawatts of installed capacity through solar photovoltaic ( PV ) installations . It took them about 13 years since their eleven-and-ahalf-year plan . This is a clear trend of acceleration where it took some 13 years to build up . Although there is a learning curve , progress is quick once we get past the initial hurdle .”

China has not only invested in solar energy but also wind energy as well .

Like their solar energy endeavours , China ’ s wind generation capacity will reach 500 gigawatts in installed capacity by 2024 .

This is largely thanks to installing the world ’ s most giant wind turbines in China ’ s Fujian Zhangpu Liu ’ ao offshore wind farm . The wind turbines have a capacity of 402 megawatts and a diameter of 256 metres .

Proactive measures such as reducing carbon emissions , transitioning to renewable energy sources , improving energy efficiency and adapting to the impacts of climate change are actions that lead to a greener future for us and the planet and its other inhabitants . – @ Green

Enablement begins with commitment at the governmental level . To this end , Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also announced Malaysia ’ s National Energy Transition Roadmap ( NETR ) phases one and two , setting a clear path time and focus strategies towards net zero 2050 .”

– Paul Lee