The global movement towards electrification and renewable energy is exponentially driving demand for minerals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese.

Companies are turning to an unexplored frontier, the deep ocean, to retrieve these precious minerals. How is the international community handling the potential minefield that could come with exploiting untouched marine ecosystems? We discuss the implications. 

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This year could see the return of a difficult haze season, given the projections of a severe El Nino phenomenon. We discuss the findings of the Haze Outlook 2023 report with Khor Yu Leng of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs to find out what factors apart from weather contribute to haze and how ASEAN countries are responding

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Southeast Asian economies face the tricky balance of securing long-term economic growth while also keeping carbon emissions in check. Is this a Sisyphean task? Dale Hardcastle of Bain & Co shares insights on potential pathways for the region to achieve both aims, based on the SEA Green Economy 2023 Report, published in collaboration with Temasek, GenZero and Amazon Web Services.

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The aviation industry is cognisant of public perception towards flying being bad for the environment, and to counter the narrative, it has set an industry target of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. What are the pathways to this ambitious goal? We discuss aviation players' efforts to reduce carbon emissions with Shantanu Gangakhedkar of Frost & Sullivan.

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There is intense pressure on governments to cut greenhouse gas emissions to slow the pace of global warming. However, a key concern for developing countries is the worry that reducing carbon emissions come at the expense of economic growth. How can countries balance these seemingly competing ends? Murali Ram of Arup Malaysia discusses the potential of clean growth and the opportunities compiled in the UK-Malaysia Clean Growth Handbook.

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Scientists have warned that 2023 could be the hottest year on record so far

What does this mean for the agriculture industry and food security of the region?

We discuss how agriculture economics, food security and climate change intersect with Dr. Paul Teng, Professor & Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

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More and more consumers are demanding that products come in sustainable packaging, but there isn't consensus on what this means. In a recent column, author and journalist Adam Minter argues that the considerations should go beyond just whether packaging is paper or plastic. He joins us to discuss the nuances in defining sustainable packaging and why vilifying plastic is a red herring. 

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As global economies strive to adapt to the sustainability imperative, are Malaysian corporates responding in tandem to secure their position in the supply chain?
We discuss insights from a report released by PwC Malaysia in collaboration with Capital Markets Malaysia, titled Corporate Malaysia's journey towards a sustainable supply chain with Redha Shukor.

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Renewable energy presently makes up around 30% of the global share of electricity generation. However, these levels need to triple over the next 25 years to achieve the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit on global warming. What are the policies and investments needed to get us to that end goal? We discuss the global outlook for renewable energy with Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency.

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SMEs form the backbone of the Malaysian economy, but how prepared are they to embrace ESG standards and practices that are rapidly becoming the norm in global business? A report jointly commissioned by Alliance Bank, the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia and Brunei, and SME Corp Malaysia, explores the level of ESG adoption among SMEs in Malaysia. We discuss the findings and recommendations to empower SMEs with Rizal IL-Ehzan, CEO of Alliance Islamic.

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