Global Tipping Points Conference Makes Asia Debut In Malaysia

PETALING JAYA, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- The Global Tipping Points Conference 2026 (GTP 2026) will make its Asia debut in Malaysia next month, bringing together global experts and leaders to explore ways to accelerate positive change in response to climate and planetary challenges.

The conference, to be held at Sunway University from Oct 12 to 15, is jointly co-chaired by the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health (SCPH) of Sunway University, the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

SCPH executive director and GTP 2026 Co-Chair Prof Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood said holding the conference in Malaysia was significant as Southeast Asia was among the regions most exposed to climate-related risks, while also emerging as a source of solutions and transformation.

“We are in Southeast Asia, and we are among the most exposed to heat, floods, sea level rise, and haze. But we are also the region that has many solutions emerging rapidly, where the next billion decisions about energy, food, and cities will be made,” she told a press conference here today.

She said the region’s relatively young population and its growing economic significance, particularly within ASEAN, provided an opportunity for countries in Asia to play a greater role in shaping responses to global planetary challenges.

Dr Jemilah said the conference would bring together scientists, policymakers, health leaders, financiers, business leaders, civil society, Indigenous voices, artists and youth advocates to examine how positive tipping points could be accelerated.

She said Malaysian businesses, policymakers and scientists should be “emboldened” to be brave and ambitious in developing and demonstrating solutions that could contribute to global efforts towards a healthier and more sustainable future.

Meanwhile, Sunway University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education, Employability and Alumni) Prof Chai Lay Ching said the university was proud to host the global gathering and saw it as an opportunity for students, faculty and the wider community to engage with leading experts in planetary health.

GTP 2026, the third edition of the conference following previous editions held at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom in 2023 and 2025, will open with remarks by Sunway University President Prof Sibrandes Poppema and a special keynote address by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.

GTP 2026 is based on three cross-cutting pillars, namely Understanding the Shift, which examines changes in climate, nature and socio-economic pressures; Igniting Imagination, which explores the role of culture, faith, creativity and moral leadership in societal transformation; and Accelerating Action, which focuses on policies, investments and partnerships that can reinforce lasting change.

The programme will also examine issues including finance, law, social cohesion, clean energy, health and food security, as well as the implications of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and global artificial intelligence developments.

The GTP initiative, led by Professor Tim Lenton and the Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, is a global research and policy programme that identifies critical thresholds in Earth systems and translates science into actionable solutions to accelerate climate action, clean energy adoption and ecosystem restoration.

-- BERNAMA