1. The Pathway to a New
Sustainability Paradigm for
Malaysia
Mohd Nordin Hasan
Director
ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
2. Plan
• Origins of interest in SD in Malaysia
• UNCED 1992 and after
• EPU, Selangor, LESTARI
• Three pillars, segregated paradigm through
2002 Earth Summit
• Rio+20, The Future We Want and ICSU’s
Future Earth
• Prerequisites for success and possibilities of
a new paradigm
2
4. Developments in Malaysia
• Series of state conservation strategies developed for
Malaysia (Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan,
Perlis, Sarawak, Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan, Sabah)
during 5th and 6th Malaysia Plan Period 1986 – 1990; 1991
– 1995.
• M. Nordin, 1990. The Conservation Strategy Malaysia
Projects: National Resource Assessment and Analysis for
Development Planning and Implementation. Proceedings
International Conference and Workshop on Global Natural
Resource Monitoring and Assessments: Preparing for the
21st Century. Vol. 2 pp. 763-768. Fondizione G. Gini,
Venezia (Italy).
• 1993 – National Conservation Strategy (EPU) 4
5. Own interest in SD
• Has always been on knowledge for SD
• Mohd Nordin Hj Hasan, Zakri A. Hamid and Chow
Kok Kee, 1992. National Response to UNCED 1992:
Science and Technology Issues. Proceedings
National Seminar on Malaysia and UNCED: The
Road From Rio. Ministry of Science, Technology and
Environment, Kuala Lumpur.
• Little direct engagement at the community and political
level – but active with national and international NGO
• Main role as knowledge provider – the how and why
(sometimes!); EPU, LESTARI, Selangor State
• Supplied technocrats (state; federal) and the sometimes
receptive business and industry
5
6. Was there an “old”
paradigm?
• Landmark …1976 3rd Malaysia Plan interplay between
environment and development given due consideration in
development planning
• Focus: Avoiding impairment of the country’s land and
forest resources, pollution from industries and
environmental degradation from urban development
• Institutions: Promulgated the Environmental Quality Act
1974 and established the Department of the Environment
• Goal: Not to impair productivity of Malaysia’s land and
forest resources and cause extinction of unique elements
of natural ecosystems
• Scope: Included health of Malaysians, sustainability of
recreational resources and productivity of fisheries
6
7. Our Common Future
• Then came the “three pillars”! 1987 Brundlandt’s Our
Common Future and after UNCED 1992, Agenda 21
• The environmental focus started it all
• Economics? ….a difficult preposition, nevertheless the
EPU established a sub-section on environment in 1994
that became Environment and Natural Resources Section
of the EPU (Freddie Cho, Himmat Singh, Ali Hamsa)
• Social? ….. poverty alleviation model
• The three pillars - largely compartmentalised
7
8. • Environment
• Mohd Nordin Hj Hasan, 1998. Review of Environmental Quality Management in
Malaysia. In Mohd Nordin Hj Hasan, Lizuryati Azrina Abdullah and Ibrahim Komoo
(Eds.) National Review on Environmental Quality Management in Malaysia: Towards
the Next Two Decades. Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI),
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. pp 1-9. ISBN 983-9444-11-5
• Economics
• Mohd. Nordin Hj. Hasan, 1992. Environmental Management as a Strategy
for Sustainable Development. In Teh Hoe Yoke and Goh Kim Leng
Malaysia's Economic Vision: Issues and Challenges. Pelanduk
Publications. 421-437.
• Social/Institutional
• Mohd Nordin Hj Hasan, 1994. Sustainable Development: A Challenge for
Malaysia. In Noor Aziah Hj Mohd Awal and Siti Faridah Abdul Jabar (Eds.)
An Appraisal of Environmental Law in Malaysia: People, Development and
Sustainability. Faculty of Law Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Asia
Foundation. pp 7-19. 8
9. Socio-economic success
• Meeting the needs of current generation
• Malaysian economy in 2011 was about fourteen times the
size it was in 1980s (PPP GDP $447b 2011 est.)
• GDP growth of 5% to 7% since 2007
• Brought development - economic and financial benefits,
alleviated poverty, enhanced the education and health
services, and brought enduring peace and stability
• In 2007 - 3rd largest economy in South East Asia; 28th
largest in the world by purchasing power parity.
6 November 2012 Universiti Malaya 9
10. MDG
Malaysia has made remarkable progress in achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the globally
agreed blueprint for halving extreme poverty, halting the
spread of diseases, promoting access to education and
improving health care – ahead of the 2015 deadline.
UN Secretary General
http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statme
nts_full.asp?statID=1486
22 March 2012
10
12. Rio+20
• Until Rio+20 – model was disjointed incrementalism
• The Future We Want.
• 283 paragraphs and 53 pages long
• Statements on a common vision; desirable end-points
• Renewing political commitment;
• Green economy in the context of sustainable development
and poverty eradication;
• Institutional framework for sustainable development;
• Framework for action and follow-up; and
• Means of implementation.
12
13. From the scientific
perspective
• 3 key requirements
• More integrated knowledge
• Greater valuation of ecosystem services
• Understanding interdependence –
economic, social, ecological
• At all scales – local/community, nations,
global
13
14. In practical terms the global challenges are
• Feeding 9 billion people within sustainable
planetary boundaries
• Valuing and protecting nature’s services and
biodiversity
• Adapting to a warmer and more urban world
• Transitioning to low carbon societies
• Providing income and innovation opportunities
through transformations to global sustainability
• Reducing disaster risks
• Aligning governance with stewardship
14
17. COSUST special issue for PuP
Without understanding the social and
political dynamics, aspirations, beliefs
and values, and their impact on our own
behavior, we only describe the world’s
physical, biological and chemical
phenomena, observe and document
their changes, and apply technology to
secure access to resources but would
ultimately fail to ensure sustainability.
Transdisciplinary research can contribute
to solutions for a sustainable world.
There is no other viable way forward.
The sustainability challenges must be
met and the Earth system science
community will have an important role.
Source: Rik Leemans presentation to MAIRS 17
18. Co-design and co-production of
knowledge requires the
involvement of researchers and Dissemination of
stakeholders during the entire Results
research process. (translation, transparency,
dialogue, responsivity)
Scientific Integration
(interdisciplinarity,
consistency, uncertainty)
Relevance
(transdisciplinarity,
stakeholder involvement) Co-Production
Implementation
(funding calls, proposals,
review, etc.)
Research Definition
(research scale, research questions)
Joint Framing
(topic depends on societal
emergence) Co-Design
Slide from G. Klepper’s presentation at Planet Under Pressure
21. WMO as
observer
Science and Technology Alliance for
Global Sustainability 21
22. A global platform
for international research collaboration
• augments earth system science with impacts of
environmental change on people, adaptation and
transformation
• delivers interdisciplinary research on global
environmental change for sustainable development
• strengthens partnership between
researchers/funders/users (co-design)
22
23. • How and why the global environment is changing,
• What are likely future changes and what the
implications are for human wellbeing and other
species,
• What choices can be made to reduce harmful risks
and vulnerabilities and enhance resilience,
• and how this knowledge can support decisions and
sustainable development?
24. Transformation
towards
Sustainability
Global Dynamic
Development Planet
25. What is then the pathway to a new
sustainability paradigm for Malaysia?
Sept,2012 Hazards w.shop, KL 25
26. Dynamic Planet
What are the states, variability and trends in biodiversity, climate, soils, cryosphere, biogeochemistry,
hydrology, and oceans?
What is happening to the human and geophysical driving forces of change such as consumption, population,
technology, greenhouse gases, and evolution and how do they interact?
What are the scenarios for the future including natural variability, the risks of tipping points and catastrophic
change?
Development
What are the patterns, trade offs and sustainable options for land use?
How can we ensure secure and sustainable food, water, air, energy and materials for our people?
How is global environmental change risking human health, biodiversity and ecosystem services?
What energy options are available to provide energy for all with reduced environmental impacts?
Transformation towards Sustainability
How can we align governance to manage environmental change and sustainable development?
What are the options for innovative green technology and economics to promote, for example, lower carbon
futures and more rewarding work?
How do information, values and policies influence individual and corporate behavior to more sustainable
patterns of production, trade and consumption?
What triggers system transformations and what leverage points can be used to promote deliberate and
equitable change towards sustainability?
27. In conclusion
New paradigm requires
• Stakeholders working together to co-design and coproduce
knowledge and know-how
• Trans- and multi-disciplinary approach to the search for
knowledge and understanding that cuts across social,
economic and ecological dimensions
• Global frameworks are being developed that could be
interpreted for local and national applications
• The path to a new sustainability paradigm is wide open
and it’s up to us all to rise to the occasion
27
