Asia-Pacific Perspectives Seminar – Building Climate Change Governance through Multistakeholder Cooperation

International Seminar

Asia-Pacific Perspectives on Climate Change and the Energy Transition

Reflections from Malaysia, Australia and Japan

October 2, 2025, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

UNIMAS, University of Malaya, Curtin University Malaysia, the JSPS Project Programme for the Co-creation of Academic Knowledge of the Topic-Setting Program to Advance Cutting-Edge Humanities and Social Sciences Research ‘Building Climate Change Governance through Multistakeholder Cooperation: The Case of Low-Carbon Hydrogen’ (Nagoya University, Japan), and the Kajima Foundation Research Grants for Specific Theme 'Empirical Study on the Social Acceptance of Low-Carbon Hydrogen Technology (Japan) hold a conference entitled ‘Asia-Pacific perspectives on climate change and the energy transition: Reflections from Malaysia, Australia and Japan’ to bring together scholars from Malaysia, Australia, and Japan specializing in law, economics, political science, management studies, and engineering to discuss multidisciplinary issues concerning climate change and the energy transition.

The prevailing uncertainty surrounding the energy transition makes it crucial for policymakers, private entities, and civil society to share their views and experiences and to discuss pathways toward a ‘just’ and ‘inclusive’ energy transition. Sarawak, which hosts many significant energy transition projects—including cutting-edge hydrogen production and infrastructure development initiatives—is undoubtedly a key regional hub for energy transition. Its energy sector has attracted substantial foreign investments from Australia and Japan, thereby becoming a centre of economic cooperation among the three countries. These developments make Sarawak an ideal location from which Asia-Pacific thought leaders can share their perspectives on a just and inclusive energy transition.

Event information

Date and Time: 2 October 2025 (Tuesday), 9:30-18:00

Venue: Seminar Room, Level 2, Dayak Cultural Foundation, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Format: In person (offline only)

Venue capacity: 200 persons

Registration fee: Free of charge

Registration deadline: September 26, 2025 (registration will be closed once the number of registrants reaches 200)

Language: English

Programme (subject to changes)

9:00　　Registration

9:30　　Welcome Address

Jason Chuah (Professor, University of Malaya)

9:40　　Opening Keynote

His Excellency Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata

10:00　　Session 1: Climate change governance and policy

Moderator: Katsunori Seki (Associate Professor, Nagoya University)

Panelists:

Sheila Lingam (Senior Lecturer, University of Malaya)

Kentaro Tamura (Programme Director, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan)

Fang-Ting Cheng (Researcher, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan)

Lavanya Rama Iyer (Director of Policy and Climate Change, WWF Malaysia; Co-chair Malaysian CSO-SDG Alliance)

11:30　　Session 2: The role of technology in the energy transition

Moderator: Jundika Candra Kurnia (Associate Professor, Curtin University Malaysia)

Panelists:

Shanti Faridah Salleh (Professor, ISuRE, UNIMAS)

Hiroshi Machida (Associate Professor, Nagoya University, Japan)

Stephanie Chan Yen San (Professor, Curtin University Malaysia)

13:00　　Lunch

14:30　　Session 3: Investment and corporate governance

Moderator: Naoki Ishikawa (Partner, Mori Hamada)

Panelists:

Kohei Toyoda (Director General for Energy Transformation Strategy, Japan Bank for International Cooperation) (TBC)

Keiko Zaima (President, Kyoto Sangyo University, Japan)

Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar (Chairman, Cypark Resources Berhad; Chairman, Board of Trustees, WWF Malaysia, Board of Trustees, MySDG Malaysia)

Petrina Tan (Senior Lecturer, University of Malaya)

16:00　　Session 4: Community interests and human rights - social and environmental implications

Moderator: Ramy Bulan (Associate Professor, University of Malaya)

Panelists:

Satoshi Yamazaki (Associate Professor, Tasmania University)

Isamu Okada (Professor, Nagoya University, Japan)

Poline Bala (Professor, IBS, UNIMAS)

Sharon Kaur (Associate Professor, University of Malaya)

17:30　　Concluding Keynote

Ahmad Hata Rasit (Professor, Vice-Chancellor, UNIMAS)

17:45　　Concluding Remarks

Tomoko Ishikawa (Professor, Nagoya University, Japan)

Inquiries

If you have any questions regarding the webinar, please contact us by email:

h2governance@gsid.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Registration

To register, please complete the form below before September 26, 2025. The registration form will be unavailable once the number of registrants reaches 200.

Before the seminar, we will contact you again with detailed event information at the email address provided during registration.

Handling of personal information: The information you have entered at the time of registration will be received by the Academic Knowledge Co-creation Programme ‘Building Climate Change Governance that Generates Coordination among Multilayered Actors’, Nagoya University Graduate School of International Development. The information will be handled lawfully in accordance with Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information (Act No. 57 of 2003).